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Indiana Pacers lost Myles Turner over $4 million, will now aim for ex-No.1 pick after 2022 negotiations failed

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 6:30 AM ET

It appears the Indiana Pacers’ haggling with Myles Turner over a few million dollars cost them their starting center in free agency.

In one of the biggest NBA free agency shockers in recent history, Myles Turner signed a $107 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Many expected Myles Turner to stay with the Indiana Pacers, given that he helped take the team to the NBA Finals and had been with the team for over a decade.

But the big man decided to take his talents to the Milwaukee Bucks, one of the Pacers’ biggest rivals, in a move that no one saw coming.

The Bucks controversially waived Damian Lillard to make the finances of this deal work. It isn’t a move that is going to earn them much credit among NBA fans or players.

But it appears the Bucks got very lucky, as the Indiana Pacers cost themselves their starting center over just a few million dollars!

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Indiana Pacers refused to offer Myles Turner more than $22 million

According to Jake Fischer, the Indiana Pacers took Myles Turner’s future with the team for granted. In his latest report, Fischer broke down how the Pacers lowballed Turner.

It turns out that the Pacers never offered Myles Turner an annual salary higher than $22 million per season. Fischer speculated that Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles injury played a role in that decision.

“Turner stunningly never received an Indiana offer that strayed beyond $22 million in average annual value, according to sources briefed on the talks.

“So much for the notion that the Pacers, fresh off a Cinderella run to Game 7 of the NBA Finals, were prepared to go into the luxury tax for the first time in 20 years…

“Although the presumed loss of Tyrese Haliburton for all of next season to an Achilles tear obviously factored into that stance.”

BREAKING: Free agent center Myles Turner has agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, plus a player option for year four in 2028-29 and a full 15% trade kicker, sources tell ESPN. Stunner. pic.twitter.com/MlDkZusVOv
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025

Indiana Pacers will target Deandre Ayton like they did in 2022

Now, with no starting center available and many of the free agent options, the Indiana Pacers will look to an old target that has become available again.

Fischer reports that the Pacers will rival the Los Angeles Lakers in the race for Deandre Ayton.

Longtime NBA fans will remember that the Pacers offered Ayton the $133 million contract that the Suns would match. This is the same contract the Trail Blazers bought Ayton out of days ago.

“Sources say that the Pacers have, however, registered interest in Ayton.

“Don’t forget that the contract Ayton just terminated through his Blazers buyout was a four-year, $133 offer sheet that he originally signed with Indiana in July 2022 as a Phoenix Suns restricted free agent.”

However, the Pacers are unlikely to beat out the Los Angeles Lakers in this race, as they are desperate to land Ayton and have made him their top priority.

It will be interesting to see who the Pacers will target should they not be able to land Ayton once he clears free agency waivers today at 5 PM EST.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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