The Pacers are facing a rocky 2026 despite coming within one win of their first NBA championship this past season. The team's guiding light, guard Tyrese Haliburton, tore his Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to end a playoff run that electrified the basketball world.

According to Pacers general manager Kevin Pritchard, Indiana had been negotiating with Turner "in good faith" about his next contract. Per Pritchard, the Pacers were willing to dip into the luxury tax (a rarity for Indiana ownership) to keep their longest-tenured player. Turner had been with the Pacers for all 10 of his NBA seasons.

Perhaps the most shocking move of the NBA offseason so far came when it was announced the Milwaukee Bucks would be signing big man Myles Turner. Leading up to that moment, it was a foregone conclusion that Turner would return to the Indiana Pacers with a new,