NBA Trade Rumors: Mavs Out on Injured Myles Turner?
Over the last week, rumors have swirled about the Dallas Mavericks having interest in Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner ahead of the NBA trade deadline. The Mavs have had an eye for Turner for years under the old front office regime, and that apparently hadn't changed with new general manger Nico Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd. ... That is, maybe until now.
According to the Pacers, Turner is out and will be re-evaluated in two weeks due to what the team is calling a 'stress reaction' in his foot. And according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Turner is sure to be out beyond the February 10 trade deadline.
Pacers center Myles Turner is expected to be sidelined beyond the February 10 NBA trade deadline, sources tell ESPN. Team says he will be re-examined in two weeks, but teams interested in trading for Turner will have to do due diligence on injury as they weigh offers.
A few days ago, it was reported that Indiana was seeking two first round picks or a promising young player and one first round pick in exchange for Turner, but the looming status of his foot injury could change things quite a bit when it comes to his trade value.
"We'll see what happens with (Turner's) foot ," said ESPN's Bobby Marks on The Hoop Collective podcast. "And if there's anything lingering...I'm at least not offering anything of true value."
For a Mavs team that was already limited on trade assets, especially when it comes to draft capital, this news could be a blessing in disguise. As long as Turner's injury isn't something that is season-ending, Dallas should still consider pursuing him and hope that an offer not including any draft picks will be enough to get a deal done. Would a package of Dwight Powell, who is beloved by Rick Carlisle, and other trade filler for salary-matching purposes be enough? If not, the Mavs might be content with letting their pursuit of Turner go all together.
According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, Dallas had "already backed off on its interest" for Turner even before this injury news came up, likely due to the Pacers' asking price. With the Mavs having the fourth-best defense in the league this year, there simply isn't a reason for them to go all in on a player who might not be able to help them this season.
Another thing to take into consideration here is Turner's contract status. He only has one more year on his $18 million per year contract after this season, but he is already eligible for an extension. This means that any team considering trading for Turner might need to be willing to extend him beyond his current contract. And again, this is something that his foot injury could greatly affect going forward.
Stay tuned to DallasBasketball.com for updates as the trade deadline gets closer.
