It wasn’t long ago the Indiana Pacers had thoughts of building an Eastern Conference juggernaut. Will 2025-26 become a gap year?
ESPN NBA contract analyst Bobby Marks joined the “Dan Patrick Show” on Tuesday, shortly after the news broke of Myles Turner agreeing to a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
That’s a second major blow to the Pacers’ hopes. Tyrese Haliburton blew out an Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, potentially keeping him out all of next season.
“The timing of (the Turner news) is not good for Indiana. We had a rash of centers come off the board yesterday,” Marks said.
Big men agreeing to deals included:
Marks believes the Pacers’ lack of willingness to pay any luxury tax left them unable to meet Turner’s salary desires. Turner reportedly agreed to a 4-year, $107 million deal.
“If they had signed Turner, that would have put them in the tax for the first time (in a couple of decades),” Marks said. “They let him walk to a division rival that’s trying to keep their franchise-level player (Giannis Antetokounmpo) on their roster.”
The best available big man may be DeAndre Ayton, who was waived last week by the Portland Trail Blazers. The soon-to-be 27-year-old No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft played his first five seasons for the Phoenix Suns and the past two in Portland.
The Pacers had signed him to a 4-year, $133 million offer sheet in 2022, but the Suns matched it. They traded him to Portland one year later.
Ayton played in 40 games in 2024-25, averaging 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds. He last played on Feb. 10, sitting with a calf strain and the Trail Blazers out of playoff contention.
“The market for (DeAndre Ayton) is a little bit better. It had cooled off a little bit,” Marks said. “If Ayton wants to go to Indiana, that’s a little better for him.”
In any case, just 10 days out from their NBA Finals run, the Pacers are out two of their five starters.
“I think things changed a little bit with the Haliburton injury, as far as where Indiana is going next year with their roster,” Marks said.
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