With the Indiana Pacers missing the playoffs yet again in 2022-23 with a 35-47 record, their staff appeared to have missed out on their postseason bonus. Myles Turner had them covered, though, as he gifted the entire staff $60,000.
"Myles Turner gifted the entire Pacers staff a total of $60K last season after not receiving a bonus when the team missed the playoffs."
That is a nice gesture on his part. At the end of the day, it is the players on the court who determine how successful a team is going to be. I'd assume Turner might have felt all their hard work behind the scenes deserved a reward of some sort, and they certainly would have appreciated it.
Last season, it seemed as if the Pacers would make the playoffs, as they sported a 23-18 record at the halfway point. Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton then suffered a left elbow sprain and a mild left knee bone contusion, which ended up hurting the team in a big way.
By the time Haliburton returned, the Pacers had dropped to 24-28. He would then miss more time toward the end of the campaign with injuries, as did the likes of Turner, and the season ended in disappointment.
NBA Fans Reacted To Turner's Gesture
Turner's gesture won him a lot of praise from NBA fans, as they reacted to the viral post on social media.
One said he is gaining more respect for Turner the more he learns about him.
A fan said this was a huge W.
A fan applauded the gesture.
One said Turner is a good man.
A fan joked that the staff had to buy Lego or else Turner would take his back.
It would have been quite hilarious if the 27-year-old had forced them to buy Lego with that money. Recently, Turner showed his amazing Lego collection, and he sure has a passion for it.
Rick Carlisle's Hilarious Shot At His Pacers Team
While the staff would have appreciated Turner's gesture, they'd have been hoping that a repeat wouldn't be needed at the end of 2023-24. The Pacers have missed the playoffs the last three seasons, and are desperate to end their drought in this campaign.
If they do make it in, it'll be because of their incredible offense. Entering their game against the New York Knicks on Saturday night, the Pacers have the best offensive rating in the league at 121.8. When asked about the offense, though, head coach Rick Carlisle took a wild shot at his Pacers team.
“Even dating a pretty girl gets boring after a while if she can’t guard anybody,” said Carlisle in a hilarious critique.
The Pacers have a defensive rating of 120.4 entering that game against the Knicks, which ranks 28th in the league. It is certainly their Achilles heel and if they miss the playoffs again, it will be because of their defense. They are currently 16-14 on the season, but that record would have been a lot better if they were even mediocre on that end of the floor.
With a rim protector like Turner, who is averaging 17.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game, among their ranks, you wouldn't expect them to be so bad, but that is their reality. The Pacers might have to make some moves before the deadline to sort out their woes on defense.
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