If you're a fan of basketball and the modern NBA, then you are familiar with the fact that traditional roles for big men are eroding fast. That is, a dominant, back-to-the-basket center like Shaq does not have a place in the fast-paced, three-and-d' game play of the top tier teams in the NBA today. Today's centers must be quick, agile, and be able to handle the ball. A lot of GMs are looking for centers who can play like small forwards - and that's where Myles Turner fits right in.
He's a drafted professional who won't see time in the developmental league (G-league) any time soon, but in my eyes, he's still a prospect. With the previous superstar of the team, Paul George, traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, he is the next - or only - star left on that roster.
Is Myles Turner the next Indiana Pacer superstar?
Defense Prowess
When I see a defensively elite NBA player - two things jump out at me: their athleticism and their intelligence. As strange as it sounds, scoring in the NBA is a lot easier than playing defense. Any basketball player athletic enough to play in the NBA can see where the defense is stretched. Just look at Ricky Davis - he was a prolific scorer for a few years, but he's a virtual unknown right now. If guys like Ricky Davis and Kwame Brown can score the ball, it's pretty obvious that scoring in the NBA is often a matter of opportunity. Guys like Jordan create their own opportunity by their greatness, but sometimes, it just comes knocking for the B-listers like Davis and Kwame.
Defense, however, requires that one read the offense. For example, you can choose before the game to run a 3-2 screen defense, but if the perimeter defenders keep getting dribbled off the screen, then there has to be immediate changes to the defensive scheme. Smart players are able to adjust accordingly. Players like LeBron, Kobe, Jordan, Duncan, Wade, Pippen, Rodman and the like are able to adjust their game play so that they are able to not only be where the shooters are going to be but steal or block the ball as well.
Myles Turner has been that guy for the Pacers since he was drafted in 2015-16 season, but he hasn't hit the "sophomore slump" in his second year defensively. He's swatting shots, and making it look easy. Just look at Turner swatting King James last year.
He's also super athletic, tall - 7' and growing - and has a good wingspan - 7'4". This makes him a pretty good rebounder as well.
Developing as a Scorer
Myles Turner has always had a knack for passing, but he's still developing as a scorer. Many people just think that he should score 20 points a game with his elite athleticism, but what most people don't understand is that Myles Turner will often choose the higher-percentage play. That's why he deferred to Paul George last two years. This year, he's again playing with scorer in Oladipo, I don't think that he's going to start dropping monster numbers in the scoring category.
That said, there are encouraging improvements to his game. He's coming along as a shooter -knocking down the 15-footer and 18-footer with greater and greater ease. Surprisingly, his post game is a little weak, but if he an put on a few more pounds of muscle and learn some of the necessary footwork for low-post play, I think he has a chance to be an elite post player as well.
Two-way Stud in Development
I don't know if Myles Turner can lead the Pacers to the playoffs this year. But let's remember that the kid is only 21 this year and he's entering his THIRD NBA season. With so many years to go before he hits his peak, I can safely say that it will be awesome to see Myles Turner dunk on people in the years to come.
And I am invested.
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