Indiana Pacers president Kevin Pritchard admitted he was blindsided by Myles Turner leaving in free agency, learning of the move the same way as fans, through social media.
Turner, the team’s longest-tenured player, signed a four-year, $107 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks just days after Indiana’s NBA Finals loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“I saw Shams tweet it, and that’s how I knew that Myles was taken away,” Pritchard told The Athletic. “We would have been open on a sign-and-trade because it’s sort of mutually beneficial, but we didn’t get to that point, unfortunately.”
Turner’s exit ends a decade-long run in Indiana after he was drafted eleventh overall in 2015. In 642 games with the Pacers, the 28-year-old averaged 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, becoming a cornerstone of the franchise and a fan favorite despite years of trade rumors.
Pritchard admitted the move caught him completely off guard stating he was “shocked.”
“We were negotiating in good faith, but what happens in this league is sometimes you’re negotiating, but because a guy is unrestricted, he has the right to say, ‘That’s the offer I want. I’m gonna take it,” he explained.
Turner had reportedly grown tired of the uncertainty surrounding his future in Indiana. This season, with the Pacers making their first Finals appearance since 2000, speculation about his departure had cooled, making his sudden exit even more surprising.
Pritchard said the Pacers were prepared to spend to keep Turner and the team would’ve been willing to go “deep into the tax.”
For Milwaukee, Turner brings elite rim protection and floor spacing to a team looking to bounce back after an early playoff exit last season. For Indiana, it’s the end of an era.