Pacers beat writer says quiet part out loud about Myles Turner departure

In a recent podcast appearance, Caitlin Cooper of Basketball, She Wrote stated that the Indiana Pacers needed an upgrade over Myles Turner even before his free agency departure to advance deeper in the playoffs. Cooper acknowledged that Turner signing with the Milwaukee Bucks without compensation was "not ideal," but framed it as an opportunity for the Pacers to potentially improve the position and put themselves in a better long-term situation.

Cooper elaborated that while Tyrese Haliburton enhanced Turner's game, it wasn't always clear how Turner reciprocally elevated Haliburton's performance, particularly during critical playoff rounds against teams like Boston. She maintained that despite the unexpected nature of Turner's move to Milwaukee (which involved the Bucks waiving Damian Lillard), Indiana likely needed to make a change at center anyway to overcome playoff hurdles.

Following Turner's exit, the Pacers are attempting to replace him through a center-by-committee approach rather than seeking a direct one-for-one replacement. This strategy involves utilizing multiple players—including Jay Huff (acquired from Memphis), James Wiseman, Isaiah Jackson, and possibly Tony Bradley—to collectively compensate for Turner's absence and adapt based on game-by-game performance.

However, concerns remain as none of these players are established starters on a championship-level team. Turner possessed a unique skillset, combining floor-spacing and rim protection, which will be difficult to replicate. Although the committee approach may be Indiana's best immediate option, the team still lacks a reliable starting-caliber center, creating a significant weakness as they aim to return to the NBA Finals after falling just one win short last season.