Myles Turner Shares Cryptic Reason Why He Left Pacers for Bucks

The Indiana center seemed to say a lot without saying much Friday.

Myles Turner shoots against Aaron Wiggins (left) and Chet Holmgren (right) during the 2025 NBA Finals. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Much ink has been spilled on center Myles Turner's still-surprising move from the Indiana Pacers to the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency—a deal that became official Sunday.

However, the exact motives for Turner's exit remained little known until Friday. In fact, one can argue that the motives remain little known even after the Bucks introduced Turner in a press conference Friday.

Pacers reporter Tony East said on social media he asked Turner about his negotiations with Indiana, and received a cryptic answer in response.

"There was alignment issues, as far as me and them," Turner said without elaborating.

Before answering that question, the two-time shot-blocking champion had mused that Milwaukee gave him "a chance to remain competitive."

"There was alignment issues, as far as me and them," Turner says of negotiations with the Pacers when I asked. Wouldn't elaborate beyond that.

— Tony East (@TonyREast) July 11, 2025

Turner: "Ultimately, it was about just staying competitive... I saw a chance to remain competitive here."

— Tony East (@TonyREast) July 11, 2025

The Pacers are facing a rocky 2026 despite coming within one win of their first NBA championship this past season. The team's guiding light, guard Tyrese Haliburton, tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to end a playoff run that electrified the basketball world.

With Turner about to turn 30, it seems possible that a step back after coming so close to the mountaintop was an uninviting prospect.

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