Published March 21, 2026, at 3:59 p.m. Eastern Time
- Myles Turner departed the Pacers to join the Bucks, citing a superior contract offer and a belief that the Pacers’ management did not value him appropriately.
- Turner stated he was unable to inform his Pacers teammates of his ongoing contract negotiations to avoid potentially compromising his free agency.
- Milwaukee acquired Turner subsequent to waiving and stretching Damian Lillard’s contract; however, the team’s performance this season has been challenging.
Former Pacers center Myles Turner appeared on the DawgTalkPod, alongside NBA player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and host Jordan McGruder, where he clarified his decision to depart the Pacers for the Bucks during the previous offseason’s free agency period and why he kept his former Pacers teammates uninformed of the process.
Turner recounted that, considering the Pacers had reached the NBA Finals and he was their sole free agent, he felt it was “his turn” for a significant opportunity.
“This was the prime of my career, a prime money-making opportunity,” Turner commented. He added, “I had been assured throughout the year that they would enter the luxury tax. However, once (Tyrese Haliburton) suffered an Achilles tendon tear in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, their stance completely changed.”
Turner stated that the Pacers presented a three-year, $60 million offer, although IndyStar reported a four-year, $95 million proposal.
Regarding the free agent market, Turner remarked, “They believed there were no other viable options for me.”
Milwaukee’s proposal, in contrast, was more substantial and unexpected.
Turner explained, “I was unable to disclose the ongoing situation to Tyrese (Haliburton), Pascal (Siakam), Obi (Toppin), T.J. (McConnell), or any of my teammates for two main reasons: first, it constitutes a breach during active negotiations; and second, I couldn’t reveal my strategy.” He elaborated, “If I had informed them, they might suddenly relay that information to the front office, saying, ‘Oh, Myles has other options,’ which could have jeopardized my entire free-agency process.
He emphasized, “Bear in mind, this marked my inaugural experience as a free agent—an unrestricted one. I was determined to fully capitalize on that chance. Therefore, I needed to treasure that decision-making opportunity, and I intended to make the most of it.”
The Bucks were able to sign Turner following their decision to waive and stretch Damian Lillard’s contract. Milwaukee will disburse the remaining $113 million on Lillard’s deal across five years rather than two, resulting in a cap impact of $22 million annually. This maneuver then enabled them to offer Turner a four-year, $109-million agreement—translating to an annual commitment of $50 million to secure the center—as they aimed to bolster their roster for a playoff push alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.
However, this strategy has not yielded success. With a 28-41 record, the Bucks are highly unlikely to qualify for the play-in tournament, compounded by Antetokounmpo’s recurring injuries over the season.
Turner himself has experienced one of his least productive seasons, recording a career-low 44.0% shooting percentage, averaging a career-low 5.4 rebounds per game, and scoring 12.0 points, which is his lowest average since his inaugural year in the league.
Turner Clarifies ‘Go Where You’re Celebrated’ Statement
During his introductory press conference with the Bucks, Turner remarked, “I’ve now joined a city that wishes to celebrate me. There’s a well-known adage, ‘Go where you’re celebrated,’ and I believe that applies here.”
He subsequently provided clarification for that statement:
On the podcast, Turner stated, “Some remarks I made subsequently were misinterpreted and twisted by people to fit their own narratives. I was expressing that I’m now in a place where I’ll be valued.” He continued, “I was referring to the front office, but people in the city of (Indianapolis) took it personally, reacting as if to say, ‘Oh, we’ve appreciated you for years. What are you talking about?'”
Myles Turner’s Unexpected Draft Selection by the Pacers
Turner shared that his aspiration was to be a top-10 pick in the NBA draft, anticipating Orlando would select him fifth. However, the Magic chose Mario Hezonja, who averaged only 6.9 points over his five-year career. Subsequently, he expected to be drafted tenth by Miami, but they instead picked Justice Winslow, whose career averaged 8.2 points over eight years.
Turner recalled, “My agent began to get anxious, saying, ‘I’m unsure what will happen. You might fall further in the draft.'”
He then stated, “I received the call at No. 11, heading to Indiana. Still a lottery pick. Everything unfolded precisely as it was meant to.”