It feels like rumors about Myles Turner leaving the Indiana Pacers have been around since the dawn of time.
The 6-foot-11 center has been at the center of speculation and potential trade packages for well over a year now.
But as the Pacers continue to reshape and rebuild their roster, it seems even more likely he will be leaving Indiana soon.
The Pacers only have $26.2 million in cap space, which isn’t enough to make the Suns blink on an offer sheet for Deandre Ayton.
If Indiana acquires Ayton, the most realistic path would be a sign-and-trade swapping Myles Turner.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 11, 2022
He will definitely be leaving if Indiana wants to take a run at landing Deandre Ayton from the Phoenix Suns.
Evan Sidery did some number crunching and determined that the Pacers only have $26.2 million in cap space, which isn’t enough to get Ayton.
If the team really does want to acquire him, they’d have to do so via a sign-and-trade involving Turner.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s a trade that could make both sides happy.
Turner To Phoenix?
Both Turner and Ayton have been linked to trades for some time now so it’s not surprising to think of them being swapped for one another.
They’re similar players in many ways, although Ayton has a leg up on Turner in terms of points, rebounds, and assists.
The Suns would be smart to take Turner for Ayton because he’s a talented center (when healthy) and rumors say that Ayton is not happy playing in Phoenix.
As for the Pacers, they would use Ayton as a building block at the center of their attempt to become competitive again.
The team has been toiling towards the bottom of the standings for a while now but they are intent on getting back in working order as soon as possible.
Ayton could be a key part of that.
NEXT: Should The Pacers Trade Myles Turner For Deandre Ayton?