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.

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.”

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.”

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.