East All-Star Calls Myles Turner Leaving Pacers 'Weird'

The Indiana Pacers will now have to change the way the starting lineup plays without Myles Turner manning the middle for the first time in a decade.

Despite reports that the Pacers were going to re-sign Turner and go into the luxury tax to do so, Turner ended up in Milwaukee on a four-year, $108.9 million deal.

It was a deal that surprised a lot of people around the NBA. Not only did it surprise executives and members of the media, but it also surprised some players around the league, too.

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New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson thought it was a weird move for Turner to leave Indiana, as well. He said so during an episode of The Roommates Show.

"I thought the Myles Turner thing was weird," Brunson said. "Like he just said, 'It's been a decade here' and all this stuff and everything, and then, boom, gone."

Brunson was clearly surprised that Turner would throw all of that away, especially after the team just made the NBA Finals and took the Thunder to Game 7 on the road.

Brunson got a firsthand look at Turner and how important he was to the Pacers. He has faced Indiana in both of the last two playoffs, losing to them both times.

Turner will now try to recreate that playoff magic for a different Central Division team, as he will try to support Giannis Antetokounmpo in another run to a title.

Turner will play a much different role for the Bucks than he did for the Pacers. While his skill set remains the same, he will now be looked at as the second option.

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Meanwhile, the Pacers will move on with Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman, and Jay Huff as their centers in the rotation. Tony Bradley will get a chance to earn more minutes, too.

Next year will be an audition year for these centers without Tyrese Haliburton in the lineup. Once he returns in 2026-27, the Pacers will be ready to contend for an NBA championship again.

This past season with the Pacers, Turner averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.

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