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Myles Turner hopes to stay focused on the day-to-day grind in contract year with Indiana Pacers

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Myles Turner hopes to stay focused on the day-to-day grind in contract year with Indiana Pacers


INDIANAPOLIS — The biggest question facing the Indiana Pacers team-building future relates to center Myles Turner. Of Indiana’s five starters from last year’s playoff run, four of them are under contract for the next three seasons. Turner, however, is playing on a contract that expires at the end of the ongoing season, and he can’t receive a contract extension during the campaign.

That means Turner is guaranteed to be a free agent next summer, regardless of what teams he finishes the season with. That team should be Indiana — general manager Chad Buchanan shared late last month that the franchise hopes to keep Turner around long term. “We’re a big believer in Myles. We want him to be here. He’s been our starting center,” Buchanan said.

Between luxury tax concerns and unrestricted free agency, this will be a talking point all season long. Turner has never been an unrestricted free agent before in his career, so his own interests will matter when the summer of 2025 arrives.

For Turner, contract and free agency topics are nothing new. He was frequently in trade rumors earlier in his career, and his contract status was a common discussion for years. When Domantas Sabonis was in Indiana and when the Pacers tried to sign Deandre Ayton, Turner didn’t seem to be a priority.

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Now, things are different. Turner is right at home and entering his 10th season with the franchise. He fits extremely well with the team’s stars, and the blue and gold have prioritized his situation across the last few seasons. Dating back to his renegotiation in 2023, Turner and the Pacers have crafted a great relationship.

The big man discussed his contract reality and situation with the Pacers at media day earlier this week. “I can’t help but laugh, because, I’m going to keep it a stack man, every year in Indiana has been a contract year at this point,” Turner joked. “Whether you’re fighting rumors or just staying true to your grind and whatnot… I don’t really feel too much different, because at the end of the day, that success last year is what I’ve become obsessed with.”

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner

May 27, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) attempts to shoot the ball during the second quarter during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

In 2024, Indiana finally won a playoff series for the first time in a decade. It was Turner’s first time advancing beyond the first round of the postseason, and he now understands why other players chase that feeling. It has been motivating.

In other words, winning will be important for Turner and his future decisions. The Pacers project to be a playoff team again, but winning a series in the Eastern Conference will be challenging. The top of the conference looks terrific.

“I’ve become more obsessed with just the everyday little stuff,” Turner said, citing his stretching and water drinking habits, among other things. “Just that process. And I think that anything that happens after that will be a byproduct of the success.”

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Indiana will have full Bird Rights on Turner next summer, so they can pay him any legal contract. Other starting caliber centers have signed deals in the $25-30 million per year range recently, and that would be a six-to-ten million dollar per year raise over Turner’s current deal. He’s earned a bigger contract with his play in recent years.

Much of Turner’s future with Indiana will be decided on the court. How he plays, and how much success the team has, could matter in the coming months. But clearly the team and player value each other, and another successful season could extend that partnership beyond 2024-25.



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Indiana

New Orleans takes on Indiana, seeks to end 4-game slide

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New Orleans takes on Indiana, seeks to end 4-game slide


Associated Press

New Orleans Pelicans (4-13, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (7-10, ninth in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Monday, 7 p.m. EST

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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Pacers -5.5; over/under is 228

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans heads into the matchup against Indiana as losers of four straight games.

The Pacers are 5-2 in home games. Indiana ranks fifth in the league with 17.0 fast break points per game led by Bennedict Mathurin averaging 4.5.

The Pelicans have gone 1-7 away from home. New Orleans averages 14.2 turnovers per game and is 3-4 when turning the ball over less than opponents.

The Pacers are shooting 48.7% from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points higher than the 48.5% the Pelicans allow to opponents. The Pacers average 103.8 points per game, 14.3 fewer points than the 118.1 the Pacers allow to opponents.

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TOP PERFORMERS: Pascal Siakam is averaging 20.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Pacers.

Brandon Ingram is scoring 22.9 points per game and averaging 5.8 rebounds for the Pelicans.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 4-6, averaging 111.7 points, 38.9 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 9.0 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.5 points per game.

Pelicans: 1-9, averaging 100.2 points, 42.7 rebounds, 23.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 42.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.7 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: Aaron Nesmith: out (ankle), Andrew Nembhard: out (knee), Isaiah Jackson: out for season (calf), James Wiseman: out for season (calf), Ben Sheppard: out (oblique).

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Pelicans: Zion Williamson: out (hamstring), Yves Missi: day to day (shoulder), CJ McCollum: day to day (thigh), Herbert Jones: out (shoulder ), Dejounte Murray: day to day (hand), Jose Alvarado: out (hamstring).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.




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Wizards Drop 11th Straight in Loss vs. Pacers

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Wizards Drop 11th Straight in Loss vs. Pacers


The Washington Wizards are still in the loss column after falling to the Indiana Pacers 115-103 inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday evening.

The Wizards remained competitive throughout the game, especially after the first half when they led by two points going into halftime.

However, the Pacers pulled ahead in the second half and were able to cruise to a double-digit victory.

The Pacers had seven players scoring in double figures, including a team-high 22 points from Pascal Siakam. Myles Turner had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

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The Wizards were sorely missing their leading scorer in Jordan Poole, who was ruled out prior to the game with a hip injury. That put Kyshawn George into the starting lineup, where he scored 15 points while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out five assists.

All five starters scored in double figures with Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr scoring 17 points apiece for the team-high.

With 11 consecutive losses, the Wizards remain at the bottom of the NBA standings, but there are some positives that the team will walk away with.

The Wizards will look to snap their losing streak back at home on Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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Weirdo Sports Columnist Gregg Doyel Gets Worked Up Over Ohio State Dominating Indiana, Gets Eviscerated On X

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Weirdo Sports Columnist Gregg Doyel Gets Worked Up Over Ohio State Dominating Indiana, Gets Eviscerated On X


It’s a day that ends in the letter ‘y,’ so Indy Star sports columnist Gregg Doyel is acting strange online. Thankfully, this scenario has nothing to do with him acting creepy towards WNBA star Caitlin Clark, but instead, centers around the Ohio State Buckeyes blowing out the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday.

For anyone who may have forgotten, Doyel stole the show during Clark’s introductory press conference with the Indiana Fever by making the scene all about himself in one of the strangest moves ever seen in a media setting.

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Doyel introduced himself to Clark by saying “Real quick, let me do this,” before reportedly forming a heart with his hands, a gesture Clark does towards her family after games.

Clark replied by very awkwardly asking “You like that?” before things got even weirder.

“I like that you’re here. I like that you’re here,” Doyel responded. “Yeah, I do that at my family after every game, so it’s very cool,” Clark replied. 

“Okay, start doing it to me, and we’ll get along just fine,” Doyel replied back.

Long story short, Doyel later apologized for his creepy actions but was ultimately suspended by the Indy Star for two weeks.

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Naturally, each time he shares his opinion on social media nowadays, he gets chirped into oblivion and Saturday was no exception.

Doyel took serious offense to Ohio State scoring a touchdown with 35 seconds left in regulation to ultimately cap off its win over Indiana 38-15. He specifically didn’t appreciate Ohio State quarterback Will Howard celebrating the nail-in-the-coffin touchdown by putting out a fake cigarette to mock Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti.

Doyel taking offense to a 23-year-old college quarterback celebrating a monumental win over an undefeated Indiana team is odd behavior, and folks in his mentions were sure to point out that fact.

Ohio State virtually guaranteed a spot in the College Football Playoff with the win over Indiana, and the Hoosiers should be safe as well, barring a colossal loss to Purdue to close out the regular season.





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