Age: 27
Years Pro: 8
Status: Signed $41 million two-year contract extension in January.
Key Stats: Played in 62 games, averaging 18.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, both career highs. Finished fifth in blocks per game by averaging 2.3 per contest. Shot a career-best 54.8 percent from the field. Also set career highs in free throw makes (3.5) and attempts (4.5) averages. Finished with 18 double-doubles, a career best. Set a new Pacers season record for true shooting percentage at 65.1 percent.
Going into the 2022-2023 season, two major questions surrounded longtime Indiana Pacer Myles Turner: how would becoming the full-time center impact the team and would he become a free agent in the offseason.
It didn’t take long to get those crucial answers.
The longest-tenured Pacer had a career year and will continue to serve as a foundational part of the franchise’s future success.
Entering his eighth season with the Blue & Gold, Turner became the go-to five for the Pacers after the franchise traded Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings.
While the trade occurred during the 2021-2022 season, Turner did not have a chance to take on his new role that season due to an injury that sidelined him for the second half of that campaign.
As the starting center this past season, the 6-11 University of Texas product boosted his numbers in several other key categories while remaining one of the premier shot-blockers in the world.
Turner flourished in his natural position, averaging career highs in points (18.0), rebounds (7.5), shooting (54.8 percent), and free throws makes (3.5) and attempts (4.5) while finishing fifth in blocks per game (2.3) among all players. He also recorded a career-best 18 double-doubles and set a personal record 93 3-pointers made.
GALLERY: Myles Turner's 2022-23 Season in Photos >>
Part of Turner’s increased numbers was due to being paired with first-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, whom he described as a “pass-first” point guard. Turner and Haliburton, who came from Sacramento in that trade that involved Sabonis, formed one of the top pick-and-roll combinations in the league this past season.
Turner’s shooting was historically efficient, as he set a new franchise record for true shooting percentage in a season (65.1 percent); a record previously held by Hall-of-Famer Reggie Miller.
The first half of the season, Turner’s numbers were among the best of all centers leading to a push for All-Star voting. In December, he averaged 18.1 points per game, 8.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks, and there was a stretch where he recorded five double-doubles in five of six games.
In January, the Pacers and Turner agreed to a two-year contract extension that will keep him out of the free agent market until the 2024-2025 season. With rumors of a trade quelled, the anchor of the defense could just focus on leading the 10th youngest team in the league.
“Mentality for me was a big thing coming into this year not certain of my future and not knowing what I had in store for me,” Turner said. “My mentality just shifted.”
Turner was steady in the final half of the season, and even brilliant on many occasions including a 40-point performance against the Boston Celtics on Feb. 23.
However, Turner missed the final eight games due to multiple ailments. In games without Turner this past season, the Pacers had a record of 6-14.
For Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, he’s glad Turner will continue to serve a major role in the team’s future.
“Having him here is in the best interests of the franchise,” Carlisle said. “I’m very glad we were able to get his deal done and he has been able to play the five on a consistent basis because he’s shown how reverential that’s been for his game.”
Unlike last summer, Turner said he enters the offseason healthy. He said while he’s content with his individual growth he wants the franchise back in the playoffs next spring.
“I’ve had some individual success, but I want to prove this is more than just a flyover city,” Turner said. “We're a really competitive group, and a hungry group at that. I think we’ve got a solid core that was able to come together and start something this year, but we want to keep building upon that ourselves.”
Myles Turner 2023 Exit Interview
2023 Pacers.com Player Review Schedule
April 17: Tyrese Haliburton
April 18: Myles Turner
April 19: Andrew Nembhard
April 20: Jordan Nwora
April 21: Aaron Nesmith
April 22: Isaiah Jackson
April 23: James Johnson
April 24: Bennedict Mathurin
April 25: T.J. McConnell
April 26: Oshae Brissett
April 27: Chris Duarte
April 28: Jalen Smith
April 29: Gabe York
April 30: Kendall Brown
May 1: George Hill
May 2: Daniel Theis
May 3: Buddy Hield