The Pacers and Hornets held trade talks on Indiana center Myles Turner over the summer and some around the NBA suspect those talks could resurface ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline, per Matt Moore of Action Network.
Turner is supposedly among the players made available by the Pacers, who may be moving toward a mid-level rebuild. Power forward Domantas Sabonis and guard Caris LeVert have been among the other names mentioned when it comes to Pacers who could be on the move.
“There were talks last summer between the Hornets and Pacers for Turner, and sources believe those talks could be resumed before the deadline,” Moore wrote. “However, the big key here is that the Pacers really aren’t as bad as their record. You can be bad in the clutch and still not hold the 1-8 record the Pacers have in games decided by three points or fewer or the 4-13 record they have in games inside five points in the final five minutes.”
That said, Moore quoted someone with knowledge of the Pacers’ thinking as saying that they can’t really afford to just stay the course.
“That would assume these problems are isolated to this season; they’ve need a change and known it for some time,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the Hornets are likely looking for a lift — and would undoubtedly welcome the shot-blocking Turner offers — as they again hover somewhere around the playoffs and play-in tournament.
Turner has also been linked to the Lakers, Warriors and Grizzlies, among others.
Indiana, of course, would be seeking young players and picks in any trades. That is assuming the reports are true. Pacers owner Herb Simon met with several Indiana reporters, though, and said they are not.
“We are not a franchise that is going to dump to get a better pick,” he said. “We’re going to try to win every game. Sometimes we’ll develop rookie players, which may cost us a game, but we’re never gonna to go into a game to lose while I’m an owner. I don’t believe in it. Some teams do, but I don’t believe in that.”
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