The Sacramento Kings have had a major offseason with the addition of DeMar DeRozan to help the franchise push toward becoming Playoff mainstays in the Western Conference. While the trio of De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and DeRozan will scare teams in the West, not many will consider realistic championship contenders until they add a defense-oriented starter to the lineup.
To add defense to a Kings lineup full of offensive panache, many have suggested the franchise try to acquire center Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers. Turner has withstood years of trade talks and had a great season with the Pacers last season, but with his contract expiring at the end of the season, some people think there could be a shape for a trade sending him to Sacramento.
Trade Details
Kings Receive: Myles Turner
Pacers Receive: Kevin Huerter, Colby Jones, 2027 First Round Pick (SAC), 2029 Second Round Pick (SAC)
This deal helps the Kings add a piece to help them compete alongside the elite big men in the West while the Pacers add a valuable first round pick along with a shooter and a 3-and-D wing who has lots of potential upside.
The Kings Hope To Fight The Mountains In The West
The Kings have made many offensive additions to their lineup in recent seasons, primarily to make up for the lack of outside shooting from their two stars Fox and Sabonis. They’re adding another high-volume scorer with an iffy 3-point jumper in DeRozan, so they need to add defensive value in their starting lineup with a certified shooter. Turner is the perfect answer for them and already has the experience of sharing a frontcourt alongside Sabonis.
Turner averaged 17.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks on 35.8% from three last season, thriving on the Pacers with Tyrese Haliburton. He would fit the Kings well, with him and Sabonis being a better fit as frontcourt partners on a team where they’d be the third and fourth offensive options as compared to being one and two, which they were during their time on the Pacers. Sabonis will make up for Turner’s tendencies to not rebound while Turner will add the rim protection and outside shooting Sabonis fails to provide.
This would be an awkward fit to work into the team, with Sabonis likely moving back to power forward to create the double-big lineup teams like the Nuggets and Timberwolves already have prepared. The Lakers are trying to head in the same direction, so the Kings should pounce on acquiring a 3-and-D rim protector like Turner.
The Pacers Set The Stage For The New Era
Turner has been one of the only holdovers from the pre-Haliburton era Pacers, primarily because of the value he provides as a 3-and-D center. But with the team emerging as contenders last season but with a poor defensive foundation, it’s clear the team needs a different type of defender in the middle. This is still a young team and they should look beyond the 28-year-old Turner in favor of developing options like Isaiah Jackson or Jarace Walker.
A Kings pick always holds massive potential to be valuable, as the franchise has been one of the least successful franchises of the last 20 seasons. In addition, Colby Jones could be a 3-and-D swingman who could be a fantastic partner for Haliburton in the long run. Rather than taking the chance on Turner leaving for nothing next summer, the Pacers get to re-tool on the fly to build a team for sustainable success.
Huerter averaged 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists last season, shooting 36.1% from three.
The team will feel committed to keeping Turner after making a Conference Finals run in an injury-ridden conference, but the team should look at the larger picture. There was a clear ceiling on this team if every team remained healthy, which was primarily due to Turner not being the ideal co-star. Acquiring rotational players and a pick will further allow Haliburton to grow alongside Pascal Siakam as a duo, with players like Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker getting a bigger opportunity.
What Grade Should This Trade Be?
This is a hard trade to gauge due to the obvious drawbacks that exist for both sides in making this deal. However, there are ideas that many might be against but would make sense for both franchises.
Sacramento Kings: B
The Kings walk away as the winners in a deal like this, even with the obvious questions around a Turner-Sabonis frontcourt for a contending team. But the dynamic between the two players won’t be the same on the Kings as they’re pieces within a far more competent offense. This could also help the Kings re-energize Keegan Murray by moving him to a sixth-man role if Malik Monk is asked to step up and be Foc’s backcourt partner.
Adding Turner would hurt the pace with which the Kings play but adds such a layer of defensive pressure with his pure shot-blocking ability that the Kings haven’t had with Sabonis. Guarding the perimeter is a challenge for the franchise, but it becomes an easier task with a player like Turner hunting blocks around the rim. It adds a defensive element they haven’t had in years for a decent price, with Turner also coming into their starting lineup as one of the best shooters.
Indiana Pacers: C-
I don’t hate the idea of trading Turner away, as the Pacers did overachieve last season with fortune on their side through the first two rounds. He’s a great fit next to Haliburton but the Pacers need to commit to their energetic play style by adding a more mobile and versatile center in the middle than Turner. Giving Walker or Jackson an opportunity would be great, but it brings a competitive step back for the Pacers next season, which could be a hard sell to Haliburton.
Where this trade falls apart is the trade package, as the Pacers have little to no use of the players in this deal. Colby Jones is an intriguing prospect, but the Pacers aren’t on the timeline to develop and uncover his value right now. They could make use of Huerter as a bench shooter, but there isn’t a path for him into the starting lineup which would make this a weak deal. The pick could be valuable, but it’s not valuable enough to take such a step back after the season they enjoyed last year.
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