Indiana Pacers Receive: G Malik Beasley, MIN 2022 1st Round Pick (Top-10 Protected)
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: C Myles Turner
Since being drafted 11th overall in 2015 by the Indiana Pacers, Myles Turner has spent the last seven seasons in Indiana and has turned himself into one of the league’s best trim-protectors.
Leading the league in blocked shots two of the last three seasons, Turner is once again leading the league in blocks this season, which is why he is such a sought after trade target. Not to mention, he is only owed $17.5M this season and then $17.5M next season.
In 431 career games with the Pacers, Myles Turner has averaged 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and has shot 34.9% from three-point range, but he is heavily underutilized by Indiana.
They barely look his way on the offensive-end of the floor and have only viewed him as a defensive anchor for them, which is why Turner may be wanting out of his current situation. Recently when speaking with The Athletic, Myles Turner talked about the Indiana Pacers’ recent struggles and he even went on to say how he feels like he is “not valued” and nothing more than a “glorified role player” for the Pacers.
The 25-year-old center needs a change of scenery and the Minnesota Timberwolves could wind up being a great fit for him. How things would work out next to Karl-Anthony Towns makes for an intriguing scenario, but the Timberwolves do seem like a team that is one piece away from being special.
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Towns, Russell and Edwards make up one of the league’s best scoring trios, but the Timberwolves are missing that “jolt” in their rotations. Not only can he be a big difference for them on defense, but Myles Turner can really open up his game as a scorer as well both in the paint and on the perimeter in Minnesota.
The direction the Pacers are heading in is very unclear at this point, but it does seem like they want to continue building around Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon. The only way to do so though is to add some more real scoring threats, primarily on the perimeter.
Malik Beasley has been a key role player for the Timberwolves since joining them during the 2019-20 season and could wind up being a key secondary scorer for the Indiana Pacers.
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In 98 games with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Beasley has averaged 16.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and has shot 37.9% from three-point range, giving the Pacers a real shooting threat to lean on next to Chris Duarte on the perimeter.
Along with getting an immediate first-round pick in 2022, this could be enough value for the Pacers to trade their defensive-minded big man at the trade deadline.
