Pacers’ Myles Turner Expected Out At Least A Week with Ankle Sprain

Pacers center Myles Turner is expected to miss at least one week with left ankle sprain, suffered during warmups before the season-opener vs. the Wizards, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

As Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports was first to report, Turner appeared to have suffered the injury after stepping on a ball boy’s foot.

Turner had been out since January of last season and until Wednesday’s injury, was set to make his return.

“A lot of the shots (the Wizards) got in the paint, Myles would have helped a lot with a block or making the defense pass out, get a better shot than coming in the paint,” Pacers center Isaiah Jackson said, via Wilson Moore of the Indianapolis Star. “He just affects the ball well on defense.”

Unfortunately, the injury last-season was foot related as well — as Turner missed the final 39 games with a stress reaction in his left foot. The ankle sprained prior to the opener was his left ankle, making things a bit more concerning.

Turner, 26, has twice led the league in blocked shots, averaging 2.8 last season and 3.4 the season before that. He also averaged 12.9 points and 7.1 rebound in 42 appearances last season.

More recently, he has been linked to trade rumors involving star guard Russell Westbrook and the Lakers.