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Myles Turner is the Indiana Pacers' all-time leader in blocks and ranks in the top-10 for most rebounds and games played. He spent 10 seasons with the franchise and was a core member of the team that just came within one win of seizing the city's first NBA championship. If one stops there, this man remains a fan favorite who will always have a special bond with Indy. But the narrative has dramatically shifted with just one stroke of the pen.
The veteran center signed a four-year, $108.9 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, leaving the Pacers for their biggest rival in the game today. Naturally, the move crushed Indiana residents and supporters. While plenty of people will still show their appreciation for No. 33, he could expect a chorus of boos when the Bucks roll into Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the first time next season. Though, Turner says he was already an enemy in the eyes of many fans.
“Even my time there (in Indy), there was a lot of people that wanted me off the team and now they got what they wanted and now they're complaining still,” the two-time NBA blocks king told NBA TV broadcasters Jared Greenberg and Channing Frye while watching Milwaukee's Summer League matchup versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, per the Oh No He Didn't X account.
Myles: "Even my time there (in Indy), there was a lot of people that want to be off the team and now they got what they wanted and now they're complaining still" 😂pic.twitter.com/JLuxbGl9SD
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) July 12, 2025
Turner's rim-protecting excellence and 3-point shooting ability makes him a coveted big man in the modern NBA, which is why the Bucks pursued him so aggressively in free agency. But he could still be a polarizing player. The near-7-footer averages 6.5 rebounds for his career, something that will surely disgust old-school hoops fans. Furthermore, he has been inconsistent in the playoffs.
Although Turner played a vital role in Indiana knocking off the No. 1-seeded Cavs in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, he struggled profusely against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals — averaged 10.6 points, 4.4 boards and 1.4 blocks in the seven-game series, while shooting 37.7 percent from the field and 21.4 percent from long range. If he was just decent, the Pacers could have had a parade.
That is not to diminish everything the 29-year-old has done for the organization and community, however.
Myles Turner, Pacers will be forever linked
Tyrese Haliburton is rightfully the face of Indiana, but the team would not have enjoyed this sensational two-year run without the two-way impact that Myles Turner provided. The franchise could face significant adversity without him, even after Haliburton returns from his gut-wrenching Achilles injury.
There will come a time when the city moves on from the former lottery pick's defection. His comments about wanting to “stay competitive” will delay that process a bit, but plenty of fans will open up their hearts to Turner once more. They may have to wait until after he stops wearing a Bucks jersey, though.
A large chunk of the public will call him a sellout for taking the biggest offer he could get. Others will applaud him as a business man. Turner will let everyone say what they wish, as he turns his attention to Milwaukee.
“You're gonna think whatever storyline you want with this and we have this heated rivalry,” he said, via the MrBuckBuck X account. “No matter what I say, it's gonna get twisted into whatever they want it to be for the narrative. There was no love lost.”
Myles Turner on leaving the Pacers for the Bucks: "You're gonna think whatever storyline you want with this and we have this heated rivalry. No matter what I say, it's gonna get twisted into whatever they want it to be for the narrative. There was no love lost." pic.twitter.com/kX5KtYZqh7
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) July 12, 2025
The NBA may have just gotten extra incentive to pair the Pacers and Bucks together on Christmas Day when it fills out the schedule for the 2025-26 campaign. In any case, both parties have much to focus on during the remainder of the offseason.
Myles Turner penned an emotional goodbye to the place he called home since 2015. He posted 14.1 points, 2.2 blocks, a 49.9 field goal percentage and a 36.2 3-point percentage in 642 regular season games with Indiana. Now, he will try to build a meaningful connection with the people of Milwaukee, the same individuals who could not stand him just a couple of months ago. Life, huh?
