On Tuesday, the Indiana Pacers lost their longest-tenured player, Myles Turner. He agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, paying him an average of $26.7 million a year, slightly more than the Pacers were willing to offer him.
With that, the Pacers' title window seems closed, at least until Tyrese Haliburton can return from his torn Achilles, and the Bucks are well on their way to competing in a weak Eastern Conference.
In order to pair Turner with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks waived Damian Lillard, stretching out the remaining season of his contract over five years.
Turner was expected to re-sign with the Pacers, although the team's unwillingness to enter the luxury tax for the first time since 2005 ended up ensuring that they did not offer him a competitive offer. As a result, Turner stays in the East, heads to a rival, and will compete for a title.
The Bucks still need to find a point guard, but they successfully paired Giannis with a floor-spacing center and are hoping to replicate the success he found with Brook Lopez. Turner is an excellent shooter and rim protector, and Giannis will be able to guard any position while Turner anchors the paint.
The Pacers, meanwhile, now don't have a starting-caliber center on the roster. Deandre Ayton was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers and is a free agent, and in a desperate move, Indiana could target him despite his well-documented lack of effort throughout his career.
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