In the past months, rumors have been continuously swirling around former No. 11 overall pick Myles Turner and his future with the Indiana Pacers . When Paul George left Indiana, most people thought that Turner would be replacing him as the face of the franchise. However, with the emergence of Domantas Sabonis, the former Texas Longhorns star suddenly became the odd man out on the Pacers’ roster.
To address the logjam in their frontcourt, there is a growing belief around the league that the Pacers will trade Turner in the 2020 NBA offseason. Once he becomes officially available on the trade market, several teams who need a boost in their frontcourt are expected to express a strong interest in adding him to their roster. According to Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report , one of the potential suitors of Turner this summer is the Dallas Mavericks .
“A Texas native who played his lone season of college ball at the University of Texas, Turner would now be playing professionally right next to where he grew up. The Mavericks have needed a center since starter Dwight Powell tore his right Achilles tendon in January—someone who can set good screens, space the floor for Luka Doncic and guard opposing centers so Kristaps Porzingis doesn’t have to do so. Turner would fit the Mavs’ timeline with his ability to win now and still grow with Dallas’ superstar duo.”
Despite not having a legitimate superstar on their roster, the Mavericks have managed to play impressively in the 2019-20 season, thanks to Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. Before the NBA suspended operations due to the spread of coronavirus, Dallas was sitting in the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference with a 40-27 record. However, there are still plenty of things that the team needs to address on their roster in order to have a realistic chance of contending for a championship.
Turner has yet to be considered as a superstar, but he would still be an incredible addition to the Mavericks. Aside from addressing their need for a starting center to pair with Porzingis, Turner would also give Dallas an incredible rebounder, shot-blocker, and a talented young big man who could knock down shots from the three-point range. This season, the 24-year-old center is averaging 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from beyond the arc.
To acquire Turner, Swartz suggested that the Mavericks could offer a trade package including Maxi Kleber, Seth Curry, and Jalen Brunson to the Pacers. The potential deal would also somewhat benefit Indiana as it would give the team some supporting talents to surround their core of Victor Oladipo, Sabonis, and Malcolm Brogdon.
Kleber and Curry, who are both on team-friendly contracts, would provide the Pacers two veterans who could join the starting lineup or lead their second unit. Meanwhile, when he returns to 100 percent health, the team could develop Brunson into a reliable backup for Brogdon at the point guard position.
