After falling short in the NBA Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Indiana Pacers took another major hit this offseason as longtime center Myles Turner signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. Turner agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal, opting to leave the team where he spent the majority of his career.
Despite head coach Rick Carlisle publicly stating that re-signing Turner was the team’s “No. 1 priority”, Indiana couldn’t seal the deal — and now one of the longest-tenured Pacers is headed to a conference rival.
In response, Tyrese Haliburton addressed the departure during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, acknowledging Turner’s legacy while expressing his focus on the future.
“Since I got here, for the last ten years, Myles’s name has been synonymous with our organization,” Haliburton said. “He’s done a lot here, I think that people have really taken a liking to Myles. He’s done some great things, been a part of some great groups. But at the end of the day, it is a business. He’s got to do what’s best for him and I wish him the best moving forward. My focus is now on the guys that we have here.”
With Turner gone and Haliburton still recovering from the torn Achilles injury he suffered during the Finals, Indiana’s roster is headed for a significant shake-up. The Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons, but sustaining that level of success in 2025–26 will be a challenge without two of their core contributors from those runs.
