Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star takes a deeper look at the situation surrounding Myles Turner, who is entering free agency this summer amid growing interest from rival Eastern Conference teams.
Dopirak discusses the financial implications of keeping Turner in Indiana, noting that it could cost the Pacers somewhere in the range of $30 million annually to retain their starting center.
Re-signing Turner wouldn’t just affect the salary cap, it could have a domino effect on how the team handles other young talents like Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker, both of whom are expected to be key parts of Indiana’s long-term plans.
With future contract decisions looming, locking in Turner at a high number could create financial pressure down the line.
One name that may come into focus as a cap casualty is Obi Toppin, the athletic forward who has been productive off the bench but might be seen as expendable if the team wants to trim salary after extending Turner.
As Dopirak notes, Toppin could be viewed as a “luxury item” – valuable, but not essential – if Indiana opts to prioritize its core while maintaining financial flexibility.
Turner has played 10 seasons for the Pacers. He has averaged 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 642 regular-season games.
Pacers fans can breathe easy. Tyrese Haliburton seems to be fine physically: https://t.co/cgULBHi5Vo
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) June 11, 2025
