Myles Turner spent a decade with the Indiana Pacers, becoming the team’s longest-tenured player and a central figure in their recent NBA Finals run. But when free agency opened this year, he didn’t hesitate. Turner signed a four-year, $108.9 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks and made it clear why.
He opened up about his move at his introductory news conference in Las Vegas.
Why Myles Turner Chose the Bucks Over Returning to the Pacers
Turner, 29, officially signed a four-year, $108.9 million deal with the Bucks, a move that surprised many around the league. On Friday, he discussed why he left Indiana and offered what many interpreted as a thinly veiled shot at his former team.
“Two years ago, I got to the Eastern Conference Finals and obviously last year we got through the Finals. But being there, being a part of winning basketball has changed my entire perspective on this league,” Turner told reporters. “And I saw a chance to remain competitive here and [John Horst] even Doc [Rivers] assured that winning is the top priority. We are aligned with our visions.”
Myles Turner with a not so subtle jab towards the Pacers on why he decided to sign with their divisional rival Bucks:
“For me, it was ultimately about just staying competitive. … I saw a chance to remain competitive here.”
A whole new level of spice towards this rivalry now. pic.twitter.com/S6TKJVqiZK
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 11, 2025
That quote quickly circulated online. NBA writer Evan Sidery called it “a not-so-subtle jab” at the Pacers.
Alex Golden, who covers the Pacers, added more insight. When asked whether Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles injury influenced his decision, Turner replied: “You realize how hard it is to get there (the NBA Finals)… The only thing that went into this decision was getting to get that experience again.”
Myles Turner was asked if Tyrese Haliburton’s injury impacted his FA decision:
“You realize how hard it is to get there (the NBA Finals)…The only thing that went into this decision was getting to get that experience again.”
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) July 11, 2025
Turner’s move appears strategic. With Haliburton suffering a torn Achilles in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, a game Indiana lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Pacers’ title window took a major hit. The franchise’s outlook shifted from immediate contention to long-term planning.
What made Turner’s departure even more surprising is how close he seemed to re-signing. According to multiple reports, the Pacers were prepared to offer around $23 million per year to keep him. But that number reportedly felt too low to Turner, especially after his playoff contributions and the uncertainty surrounding the team’s future.
That opened the door for Milwaukee. After Brook Lopez signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Bucks cleared cap space by waiving Damian Lillard and stretching his $113 million salary over five years. That gave them the flexibility to sign Turner, whose deal includes a player option in the 2028-29 season and a 15 percent trade kicker.
A rim-protecting big who can shoot the three and run the floor, Turner fills a crucial void in Milwaukee’s rotation. Ironically, Turner helped eliminate the Bucks in each of the past two postseasons while with the Pacers. Now, he joins a team fully committed to contending.
Speaking about the next chapter in his career, Turner showed no hesitation: “You know, there’s a saying I hate. I hate when they say ‘grass isn’t always greener on the other side.’ I’m confident enough to say the grass is going to be green wherever I go.”
Myles Turner with a confident statement about himself today:
“You know there’s a saying I hate. I hate when they say ‘grass isn’t always greener on the other side.’ I’m confident enough to say the grass is going to be green wherever I go.” pic.twitter.com/Y2jD17LuU2
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) July 11, 2025
Turner had been the longest-tenured Pacer, spending 10 seasons with the team that drafted him in 2015. In his final year, he helped lead Indiana to its first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history. But as he made clear, he’s not interested in standing still during the prime of his career.
Turner Leaves Legacy Behind in Indy as Bucks Reshape Title Hopes
Turner’s departure marks the end of a decade-long run with the Pacers, one that finally peaked last season with an Eastern Conference title and NBA Finals appearance. But despite the team’s late rise, his exit signals how fragile contention windows really are.
The moment Haliburton went down, the Pacers’ trajectory shifted. And Turner clearly didn’t want to spend the back end of his prime waiting on a medical recovery and organizational reset.
From a roster-building standpoint, the Pacers’ reluctance to pay the luxury tax — especially for a compromised roster without Haliburton — makes business sense. But for a player like Turner, who just got his first taste of the Finals, accepting low pay and a slower rebuild would have felt like a step backward.
Milwaukee, meanwhile, made its intentions obvious. Waiving Lillard and stretching $113 million over five years was more than a financial shuffle. It’s a franchise choosing system fit and timeline alignment over big names.
Lopez had long anchored their interior defense and spacing. In Turner, they get a younger, more mobile defender who can still protect the rim and shoot from distance. It’s not a like-for-like replacement, but strategically, it might be an upgrade given Milwaukee’s need for more verticality and defensive agility in Doc Rivers’ system.
Turner also joins forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP whose presence dramatically shifts defensive schemes and opens up offensive spacing. As a stretch big, Turner could thrive alongside Giannis’ downhill game, providing rim protection without needing touches to be effective. It’s a partnership that has the potential to re-anchor Milwaukee’s interior while preserving offensive balance.
