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After a decade with the Indiana Pacers, Myles Turner is headed to Milwaukee. The 29-year-old center agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, a contract that includes a player option in the final year (2028-29) and a 15% trade kicker.
Turner’s departure marks a significant shift for the Pacers, who reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000 before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games.
Turner played a critical role in Indiana’s postseason run, averaging 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 48.1% from the field and 39.6% from beyond the arc during the regular season.
The move has prompted questions about Indiana’s efforts to retain the veteran big man, who was widely expected to re-sign with the team that drafted him No. 11 overall in 2015.
According to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, internal changes in Indiana’s approach emerged after Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
“In the wake of Tyrese Haliburton's injury, the mood surrounding the Pacers' ownership and front office changed, sources told ClutchPoints. While they were expected to go into the tax, they did not want to for Myles Turner, which is why he never got more than a $20M AAV offer,” Siegel reported on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pacers’ low offer reportedly pushed Myles Turner to sign with Bucks
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line also reported that Turner had a strong desire to remain in Indiana, but the franchise's financial hesitancy played a key role in his decision to leave.
“There is certainly more dust to settle from Myles Turner landing in Milwaukee, as ESPN reports. I’m being told the big man wanted to remain with the Pacers, who he helped lead to the Finals, but Indiana’s offers for Turner never truly exceeded the three-year, $60 million range,” Fischer wrote.
Turner’s exit leaves a void in Indiana’s frontcourt as he provided consistent rim protection and floor spacing throughout his tenure. Despite being linked in numerous trade rumors throughout his career, Turner remained with the Pacers for 10 seasons and became the franchise’s longest-tenured player.
To make room for Turner’s deal, the Bucks waived Damian Lillard’s remaining $113 million contract. The cap-clearing move will stretch Lillard’s salary over the next five seasons. Lillard, 34, is recovering from an Achilles injury suffered in the Bucks’ first-round playoff loss to Indiana and will now enter free agency.
The addition of Turner bolsters Milwaukee’s interior defense and shooting depth as the Bucks attempt to retool around Giannis Antetokounmpo following an early postseason exit. Meanwhile, the Pacers are left to recalibrate after losing a franchise cornerstone at the height of their recent resurgence.
