On a radio show with 1075 The Fan, Pacers GM Chad Buchanan said that Myles Turner will be with the Pacers on opening night as his starting center.
Those comments should put the Lakers rumors to rest for the time being, but it’s important to remember that Buchanan is supposed to say this to maintain leverage.
Turner has seemingly been on the trade block for the last several years, but after the Pacers traded Domantas Sabonis to the Kings, it felt like he had a chance of staying put for a while. But with Indiana poised for a lengthy rebuild and Turner entering a contract season, there are going to be several teams vying for the big man in a trade and the Pacers should be able to net some draft assets and/or youth to add to their young core.
Moving Turner would also allow the Pacers to get a better look at Isaiah Jackson who the team is extremely high on.
Buchanan called Turner an “absolute pro” with how he’s handled the rumors and he’ll be a great veteran to help navigate the waters on this new-look team early on, but everyone knows it’s just a matter of time before another team comes calling for one of the NBA’s best shot blockers.
