Since being selected second overall in the 2010 NBA Draft, Evan Turner has not evolved into the proficient superstar that the Philadelphia 76ers thought he would be at the time. Turner currently finds himself as a role player on the Boston Celtics, with the majority of his scoring coming from the rapidly depleting mid-range game.

Turner, however, does not see this factor as a deterrence to players like him getting a pay-raise this upcoming offseason in which NBA salaries could skyrocket in conjunction with an increase of the league's TV revenue.

“People say ‘You can't shoot the three.' But I can defend, I can pass, rebound, score,” he told Maurice Peebles of Complex Sports. “You got guys that all they can do is shoot and nothing else. Like, how ass-backwards is that?”

Turner hasn't averaged more than two 3-point attempts per game throughout his career and finds himself as a 30.5 percent shooter from  long-distance. Turner only hit a total of 20 threes (24.1 percent) last season.

USA Today Sports
USA Today Sports

“The future is in the mid-range. The mid-range is where the money's at, man. I think the 3-point shot opens up the court and everything like that, but MJ and all those great players made all of their money out of the mid-range. So I'm not sorry for that at all,” he told Peebles. “Evan M. Turner. For sure, ‘M' stands for mid-range. Anywhere within 15 feet is cash. I'll try to get better at threes, but that's my game.”

Turner averaged 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and one steal for the Celtics this season. Turner also posted a career-best 51.3 true shooting percentage last year, showing he's turning into a more proficient scorer despite his long-range woes.

All stats courtesy of basketball reference

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