Spurs Among Teams Interested In Trade For Pacers' Myles Turner?
The Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets reached an agreement on the first significant trade of the offseason. The deal features Christian Wood for a trade return that featured the No. 26 overall pick and four expiring deals.
With one of the more talented centers no longer on the market, the attention of teams needing to address the position will shift to other options. While Deandre Ayton and Rudy Gobert will naturally command a lot of attention, Myles Turner is a name to watch.
According to NBA Analysis Network, the San Antonio Spurs are among the teams interested in a trade for Turner. Previous reporting has linked the Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks, and Toronto Raptors as potential suitors to watch.
Turner's season came to an early ending after he became sidelined indefinitely due to a stress reaction in his foot. Given the Pacers' poor outlook to contend, there wasn't much reason to bring him back into the lineup. In 42 appearances, he averaged 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in 29.4 minutes per game.
There's a case to be made for the Spurs to be intrigued by Turner. He's a stretch-five that has improved his finishing in the paint and ability to drive from the perimeter. He offers elite paint protection and is a more dynamic shot blocker than Jakob Poeltl. For an offense led by Dejounte Murray, maximizing spacing helps.
The Spurs have been linked repeatedly as a potential suitor for Ayton throughout the early stages of the offseason. That has continued as of late, but his restricted free agency market will be highly competitive and requires him to sign an offer sheet.
Just like Wood, Turner is set to enter the final year of his current contract. It has been reported that he seeks to enter the 2022-23 season without a contract extension in place — raising potential complications for the Pacers.
There's a case to be made for the Pacers to trade Turner this offseason. A small market team entering the season with a key starter not being signed to a long-term extension is a real risk to end up losing him for nothing.
The Pacers have yet to see how Turner meshes with Tyrese Haliburton and that's an important context when evaluating a potential contract extension. Rick Carlisle has long been a fan of Turner's, so surely he'd like to give that combo a chance.
To add further complication to the situation, the Pacers could even find their way into the Ayton as a sign-and-trade suitor. Such a scenario would include Turner being traded to the Phoenix Suns.
There's a lot about the center market that needs to be played out. Turner will be among the top names to monitor as the NBA Draft approaches. However, it's likely teams become more focused on pursuing him after Ayton's free agency concludes.
You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.
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