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Pacers Prepare for Expensive Roster Move After NBA Finals Loss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rodney Knuppel | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 4:27 PM ET

The Indiana Pacers made an impressive run in the 2025 playoffs, coming just one win shy of capturing the first NBA championship in franchise history. Indiana won 15 postseason games but fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a tough Game 7 loss in the NBA Finals.

Adding to the heartbreak, the Pacers lost star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to an Achilles injury that will cost him most if not all of the 2025-26 season. Still, the team is determined to remain a contender in the Eastern Conference.

Now, Indiana is ready to make moves to strengthen the roster that just reached the finals. One of those key moves appears to be retaining longtime center Myles Turner.

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on an episode of "The Hoop Collective" podcast on June 1, the Pacers are preparing to re-sign Turner and are expected to go into the luxury tax for the first time in 20 years.

Turner, 29, has spent his entire NBA career with the Pacers after being selected 11th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft out of Texas. He earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2016 and has twice led the league in blocked shots, most recently in 2021.

This past season, Turner played 72 regular-season games, averaging 30.2 minutes, 15.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

In the playoffs, Turner appeared in 23 games and averaged 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 29.3 minutes. In Game 7 of the finals, he played 24 minutes and posted six points with four rebounds.

Turner just wrapped up a two-year, $40 million contract with Indiana. He is the longest tenured player on the team. The Pacers have not paid the luxury tax since the 2005-06 season. His contract is projected to put him in the top 10 of NBA centers.

If re-signed, Turner will remain a core piece of a team hoping to make another deep playoff push, even with Haliburton sidelined.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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