Nets Unlikely to Trade for Pacers’ Myles Turner, per League Executive

Getty Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers

The February 9 NBA trade deadline is swiftly approaching, and with it only being weeks away, the Brooklyn Nets remain one of the teams known to be seeking a deal. With Kyrie Irving in the final year of his contract with the Nets, the team is in win-now mode, and one NBA executive told Heavy Sports that Sean Marks’ job as general manager might depend on what moves he is able or unable to make at the February deadline. Brooklyn is said to be seeking a big man or depth in any possible trades. 

The Nets have been linked to plenty of players. Kyle Kuzma, Myles Turner, Jakob Poeltl, Bojan Bogdanovic, John Collins and more. However, an Eastern Conference executive recently spoke with Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney and seemingly ruled out the possibility of one of these players winding up in Brooklyn. 

Myles Turner Ruled Out of Nets Trade

Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner has been in trade rumors for years and has been linked to the Nets multiple times in that time frame, including this August in a deal involving Joe Harris and Day’Ron Sharpe. However, nothing of note has progressed on the Turner to Brooklyn front. When Deveney asked an Eastern Conference executive about the potential of Turner coming to Brooklyn, the executive hinted that Turner isn’t what the Nets are looking for. 

“The Nets are definitely looking for a deal, but they want to bring in a star who can play alongside what they have. They’d be in the market for a power-forward type, maybe a rebounder, and Turner is pretty strictly a center and not a great rebounder. They have loved what they’ve gotten from Nic Claxton this year at center. If he can stay healthy, and they have KD (Durant) playing the 4, plus now getting T.J. Warren off the bench, he can play the 4. So Turner is not as much on the radar. The other thing is, the Nets do not have picks to deal, and the Pacers want picks for Turner if they decide to move him at all,” the executive told Heavy Sports. 

Turner is in the midst of a career year in Indiana and averaging an impressive 17.0 points and 7.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game for the Pacers. While he is not known for his rebounding, he is doing so at a career rate this season. While the executive says Turner isn’t on the Nets’ radar, should he be? His shooting ability allows them to space the floor. He could slide in next to Durant, Simmons, or Claxton nicely. He brings another shot-blocking presence next to Simmons. 

Nets Have Rebounding Problem

The Nets are 29th in the NBA in team rebounding. It has been a weakness of theirs all season long. Addressing their presence on the boards is a priority as the deadline approaches, and Turner could potentially help that if he could maintain his nearly 8 boards per game in a Nets uniform if he were traded to Brooklyn. 

Recently, the Nets were also linked to Hornets power forward P.J. Washington, who averages half of what Turner does with 4.6 per game while averaging more minutes per game. If Brooklyn is looking for rebounding, putting Turner back on their radar could be a good move in this win-now season.