Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner is set to be one of the better free agents available this offseason. If Indiana has their way, Turner won’t be available for long. That’s even if the Pacers have to dip into the luxury tax to keep their starting center.
Indiana hasn’t been a tax team since 2005. In all, the Pacers have paid less than $10 million in tax penalties in team history. To re-sign Turner, while keeping the rest of the team together, Indiana could go more than $10 million into the tax for next season alone.
At the start of the offseason, with Turner an unrestricted free agent and at least three open roster spots, the Pacers project to be $14 to $16 million under the tax line. Turner alone should command a starting salary north of $20 to $25 million.