TOUCH DOWN: It’s Time to Say Good-Bye – Pacers Have Painfully Obvious Solution to Difficult Roster Dilemma…

In the high-stakes world of NBA roster management, few decisions sting quite like parting ways with a fan favorite. For the Indiana Pacers, the 2025 offseason has morphed into a labyrinth of cap constraints, injury recoveries, and mismatched timelines. The team, fresh off a heartbreaking Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Boston Celtics in June, enters the new season with a core that’s equal parts explosive and exasperating. Tyrese Haliburton dazzles as the league’s premier playmaker, Pascal Siakam anchors the frontcourt with quiet efficiency, and Myles Turner remains a rim-protecting enigma. But lurking beneath the surface is a roster dilemma that’s as painful as it is solvable: the Myles Turner conundrum.

It’s time to say good-bye. And the solution? Trade him – now, before the regret sets in deeper.

### The Painfully Obvious Problem: Turner’s Expiring Deal and Defensive Redundancy

At 29 years old, Myles Turner is no longer the towering prospect who once promised to redefine the center position. Drafted 11th overall in 2015, he’s evolved into a reliable 15-and-8 guy with elite shot-blocking chops – leading the league in blocks per game three times in his career. Last season, he swatted 2.2 shots per contest while stretching the floor with a career-best 35.7% from three on 4.2 attempts. On paper, that’s gold in today’s spacing-obsessed NBA.

But here’s where the pain creeps in. Turner’s $19.9 million salary for 2025-26 is the last year of his current deal, making him a classic expiring contract – a ticking clock for contenders and a headache for a Pacers team that’s suddenly flush with frontcourt options. The acquisition of Siakam in 2024 has created overlap: both are versatile bigs who can switch on defense and pop from mid-range, but neither thrives as a primary ball-handler or rebounding machine. Jarace Walker, the 2023 lottery pick, is knocking on the door as a switchable forward, and Isaiah Jackson provides cheap, athletic depth off the bench.

The numbers tell a stark story. Indiana ranked 18th in defensive rating last season (113.4), a middling mark that belies Turner’s individual prowess. When Turner sat, the Pacers’ defense actually *improved* slightly to 112.8, per Cleaning the Glass data, thanks to Siakam’s perimeter versatility. Offensively, Turner’s spacing is valuable, but Haliburton’s heliocentric style demands more creation from the wings – not another spot-up big. The roster feels bloated, not balanced, and with the luxury tax line looming at $171 million, GM Chad Bucher can’t afford to let this simmer.

“It’s like having two quarterbacks who both excel at handoffs but struggle in the pocket,” one Eastern Conference scout told me off the record. “Turner’s a luxury they can’t afford anymore.”

### The Good-Bye: Why Trading Turner Is the Mercy Kill Indiana Needs

Saying farewell to Turner isn’t just prudent; it’s transformative. At his peak trade value – with training camp buzz still fresh and the season opener two weeks away – the Pacers could flip him for assets that accelerate their contention window. Turner’s bird rights would follow, but more importantly, his expiring deal becomes salary filler for a desperate buyer. Contenders like the Knicks (needing size behind Mitchell Robinson), the Warriors (post-Draymond contingency planning), or even the Thunder (adding veteran rim protection) would salivate at a rental who can guard pick-and-rolls and bury corner threes.

The return? Picture this: A first-round pick (protected, sure, but lottery odds are slim for most suitors) plus a young wing with upside. The Knicks could offer Miles McBride and a 2027 first; Golden State might dangle Jonathan Kuminga in a multi-team swap. Even a straight swap for a contract like OG Anunoby’s (if Toronto retools) would clear the logjam. The Pacers walk away with cap flexibility – dipping under the apron for midseason moves – and a clearer hierarchy: Siakam at power forward, Walker at small, and Jackson/T.J. McConnell’s grit in the trenches.

Fans will mourn the “Tuner” chants at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, but nostalgia can’t trump progress. Indiana’s ceiling is the Finals, not the second round, and clinging to a good-but-not-great center stalls that ascent. Remember the 2010s Pacers? Paul George begged for a trade because the front office dithered on direction. History rhymes; don’t let it repeat.

### The Silver Lining: A Leaner, Meaner Blue-Collar Beast Emerges

Post-Turner, the Pacers wouldn’t just survive – they’d thrive as a scrappy, switch-everything juggernaut. Haliburton runs point with Obi Toppin as a lob threat, Siakam bullies mismatches, and Bennedict Mathurin erupts as the microwave scorer off the bench. Walker’s development accelerates without a traffic jam, and the team saves $10-15 million in tax hits, freeing up buyout-market hunting for a defensive specialist like Robert Covington.

This isn’t exile; it’s evolution. The Pacers’ identity – blue-collar tenacity wrapped in modern pace-and-space – sharpens without Turner’s steady-but-static presence. And for Myles? A fresh start on a contender, chasing rings before his prime fades. Win-win, if Bucher pulls the trigger.

The clock’s ticking louder than a shot clock violation. Touch down in Indy has been sweet, Myles, but it’s time to board that flight out. The Pacers’ next era – lean, mean, and title-ready – awaits on the other side of good-bye.