Report: Pacers expected to trade Myles Turner at deadline if no extension is reached

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner has been involved in plenty of trade rumors for what seems like years now, and he is set to become a free agent after the conclusion of this season.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Turner has opened up extension talks with the Pacers. However, he might finally be moved by the Pacers if the two sides can’t agree to terms on a new deal.

“However, multiple sources indicated this week that if a deal isn’t reached, it would finally prompt the Pacers to move on and deal Turner,” wrote Matt Moore of Action Network.

Turner has spent his entire professional career with the Pacers and is having his best season from an offensive standpoint. The 26-year-old is averaging 16.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game on 55.6 percent shooting from the field and 39.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

He would be able to help teams that are in need of some more outside shooting and rim protection. Turner is one of the best defensive big men in the league, recording 2.3 blocks per game for his career.

Should the University of Texas at Austin product enter free agency in the summer, he might seek over $20 million annually. His current deal pays him $17.5 million for this season. It makes sense that he’s looking for a nice raise.

The Pacers are currently in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 21-18 record. They are in a play-in tournament spot as a result of the New York Knicks holding the tiebreaker between the two teams.

Indiana has won six of its last eight games and just had its four-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday in an overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. It has a small two-game home stand coming up against the Portland Trail Blazers and Charlotte Hornets before facing off against the Knicks in a little under a week.

Turner has been on a roll recently, averaging 19.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game while knocking down 62.3 percent of his shots from the field over his last five games.

Indiana would surely like to get some nice assets in return for Turner if the two sides are unable to agree on a new deal. Only time will tell what happens.