Myles Turner had his introductory news conference with the Milwaukee Bucks on Sept. 29, noting his departure from the Indiana Pacers was “kind of bitter,” though he’s eager to get going with his new team.
The 29-year-old said his four-year, $108 million deal came together quickly as he vacationed in Hawaii. The Pacers couldn’t quite match the money, which would have taken them deeper into the luxury tax than they cared for.
“You can’t really share everything that’s going on, share everything that you’re thinking. Suddenly it’s a ticker on ESPN,” he said of how people found out about his move.
“I had a chance to reach out to everybody on the (Pacers, on a text chat). It’s kind of bitter, you know what I mean?” he added. “You’ve been to war with these guys, these teammates are your brothers. You don’t realize that’s the last bus ride you’ll have with those guys.”
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The 29-year-old played 10 seasons with the Pacers, who are coming off an NBA Finals loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Turner averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocked shots in 2024-25.
He is the Pacers’ career blocked shots leader (1,412), leading the league in blocks per game in 2018-19 (2.7) and ’20-21 (3.4). He developed a 3-point shot over the years, peaking in 2024-25 with 39.6% accuracy while averaging 5.5 attempts per game.
“One thing I’m doing now is embracing change. I’m heading into my prime,” he said. “I’m in a city now that wants to celebrate me. And there’s a great quote, ‘Go where you’re celebrated.’ And I feel that’s here.”
Turner will wear No. 3 in Milwaukee after wearing No. 33 for the Pacers. The Bucks have retired No. 33 in honor of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
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