Turner’s contract, young additions headline Pacers Media Day

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Pacers ushered in a brand new period of basketball Monday at NBA Media Day, in keeping with head coach Rick Carlisle. The brand new period is of youth.

The Pacers have one of many youngest rosters within the NBA, averaging 24.8 years outdated. Within the eyes of the Pacers group, that’s excellent for a rebuild.

“I really feel like the truth that we’re constructing again the workforce, having loads of younger guys, (and) loads of younger expertise, everyone is right here to study,” Pacers first spherical draft choose Bennedict Mathurin mentioned. “Everyone is taking the criticism, I’d say. Just about, we’re rising up collectively.”

“What I really like about us is we simply bought loads of guys that love basketball who need to compete,” level guard Tyrese Haliburton mentioned. “For the final like two weeks, we’ve been right here collectively, we’ve been conserving information of all of our open runs and guys arguing within the again, and it being a relentless factor all through this facility, and within the group chat, and all the pieces. I feel that that’s a fantastic begin for any workforce.”

One of many greatest tales on Media Day is the one 12 months left on heart Myles Turner’s contract. He’s been dodging commerce rumors all off season. Monday, he responded to the chatter for the primary, and in keeping with him, final time this season.

“There aren’t any exhausting emotions on this enterprise. You need to take the feelings out of all the pieces, and I’ve realized that at a younger age. I nonetheless maintain true to that,” Turner mentioned. “My job is to come back in right here and assist these younger guys now. So long as I’m on this uniform, I’m going to go on the market and symbolize the state the way it’s purported to be represented.”

“Myles is a professional, and he’s made it clear that he desires to be right here,” Carlisle mentioned. “He’s excited to be taking part in with a go first start line guard like Tyrese. That’s the place we’re proper now.”

“I feel Myles is a key piece for us shifting ahead, however that’s not my determination to make. That’s not anyone’s determination to make,” Haliburton mentioned. “So first we simply have to manage what we are able to and that’s simply acting on the ground and I feel he’s very invested in being right here.”

The rebuild begins Tuesday. The workforce hits the court docket for the primary time as coaching camp commences.