Report: Myles Turner Bolted For Bucks After Pacers Wouldn’t Budge From Offer

In perhaps the most surprising move of this NBA free agency season, center Myles Turner bolted the Indiana Pacers for the Milwaukee Bucks — less than a month after the Pacers reached the Finals.

The reason, it seems, came down to dollars. As it so often does.

Turner’s deal with the Bucks is reportedly for four years and $107 million. That’s compared to the Pacers’ offer of three years and $22 million annually, per an exclusive report from Spencer Davies of RG.org.

“According to a league source who spoke to RG, the Pacers were unwilling to offer Turner more than four years or $22 million annually,” Davies wrote. “RG has learned that Turner would have stayed in Indiana for $25 million per year, but the organization wouldn’t budge on the amount, offering a three-year, $66 million contract. No player option was offered for a fourth year.”

Turner spent 10 seasons with the Pacers and was often the subject of trade rumors. He helped Indiana make its first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years (and second of all time), before losing in seven games to the Oklahoma City Thunder this past season.

So, yeah, the move to Milwaukee came as a major surprise. But as Davies reported, it was an offer he couldn’t reject.

“Milwaukee was willing to go four years for $107 million on a contract, but a player option in the final season and a 15% trade kicker were what sealed the deal for Turner,” Davies wrote. “Everything came together quickly, and it was as much of a surprise to Pacers fans and the basketball world as it was to Turner’s camp.”

Turner, 29, played in 72 games for the Pacers last season, averaging 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 48.1% from the field, 39.6% from beyond the arc and 77.3% from the free-throw line. 

“Myles’ head is in a good place,” a source told Davies of the move to the Bucks.

Milwaukee waived star guard Damian Lillard while signing Turner. Lillard suffered a major Achilles injury in the playoffs against the Pacers.

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