Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner has been involved in a ton of NBA trade rumors over the years. He has seemingly been on the trade block for years and this offseason, talks swirled once again that he could be on the move.

However, the difference this time around was that Turner wasn’t actually around to hear about them. The 26-year-old Texas product spent a large portion of his summer unplugged. Turner spent a few weeks abroad, no longer worrying about his personal life but instead feeling truly at home where his ancestors hailed from.

Going to a place like Africa is an experience of a lifetime, even for an NBA player who seemingly has the world at their fingertips. Turner, who is very into meditation, was able to connect with his spiritual side even more during this trip.

They may no longer be teammates, but Turner was inspired by Malcolm Brogdon, who was traded to the Boston Celtics this offseason, to make the trip to Africa. Brogdon does a lot of charity work in Africa and Turner did some of his own, helping build water wells, donating medical supplies and taking part in basketball clinics.

This trip accomplished a lot for Turner. He now has a very positive outlook on things and is ready to face this season head-on, as he feels great physically and spiritually. Here is one quote from his story at Andscape.

“The way I’m perceiving everything now, my outlook is I’m in great shape right now. I’ve worked my way back for my injuries. And just carry myself as a professional as I always have. Whether that’s in [Pacers] training camp or whether that’s a training camp somewhere else, I’m going to go and be myself. And that’s all anybody, that’s all I can expect for myself. It’s definitely a proving season for me. Just proving it to myself, what I’m capable of. Playing a five position, something that’s obviously very important to me. Something that I’m looking forward to doing this year. My mentality is solid. I’m good to go and everything’s tight in my corner.”

There is a chance that Turner is actually on the move, something he mentioned has been discussed for five offseasons. Whether he is or not, he is out to prove himself during the 2022-23 season for his own well-being and to teams around the league.

Turner is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2023. With the salary cap continuing to rise and his skill set being a unique one that every team would love to add to their roster, a strong season should result in a huge payday next summer.

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