A little update to our Wednesday morning note on the Knicks and Myles Turner:
As the Pacers reportedly pivot to a rebuild, there are Knicks decision-makers in favor of pursuing Turner via trade this season.
Turner, a 25-year-old center, is under contract through 2022-23 and is making $17.5 million per season.
We should note that there’s a wide gap between a team having interest in trading for a player and a trade actually happening.
But in Turner’s case, the Knicks can put together several trade packages that would satisfy NBA salary-matching rules.
It seems safe to assume that the Knicks would move one of their centers in any trade for Turner.
Teams have been under the impression that Turner was available for the right price in each of the past two offseasons.
What would Indiana want in exchange for Turner at the moment? That’s unclear.
The Athletic reported earlier this week that the Pacers are pivoting to a rebuild under new head coach Rick Carlisle and are open to moving Turner, Domantas Sabonis, and Caris LeVert.
The Knicks could entice Indiana with draft capital; the club owns the protected rights to four first-round picks and six second-round picks over the next two drafts.
In addition to draft compensation, you’d think that the Pacers would also want at least one of New York’s young players (Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson) in a Turner trade.
Turner is a young rim-protecting big who can shoot. So it’s fair to assume that the Knicks are among several teams with internal interest in trading for him.
From a Knicks perspective, it’s worth noting that some decision-makers felt last season that the club needed a big man who can stretch the floor.
Turner, who will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2023, is shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc this season.
So he’s a player to keep in mind as the Knicks and the rest of the league approach the deadline.
Starting next Wednesday, teams can include free agents who were signed over the summer in trades.
The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 10.
