The modern NBA big man has seen his role change significantly. For a while, folks feared the death of the 5. Those fears were overblown. The position didn’t die – it evolved.
Very few teams run their offense through the low block these days. Big men are tasked with spacing the floor and anchoring defenses. By that measure, Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers is the perfect modern big. He’s a reliable floor spacer and an elite rim protector who can survive in space. Turner is the type of player that any team would benefit from rostering.
On the other hand, vertical space counts as well. By that measure, Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks is another prototypical modern big. He’s an elite pick-and-roll finisher and an even better defender. Could the Knicks swap him for Turner?
The Trade Proposal
Indiana Pacers Receive: C Mitchell Robinson, G Immanuel Quickley
New York Knicks Receive: C Myles Turner
Frankly, big men will never die in the NBA. Height will always be an advantage in the game of basketball. Think about it. If the league outlawed 7-footers for every team but one, that team’s 7-footer would likely dominate the league. Teams will always take the advantage that they can.
With that said, the big man’s role has been scaled down. Some bigs seem entirely comfortable with that. They’re content to simply protect the rim, and either shoot 3s or catch lobs. Other big men feel differently. They’d like a little more usage.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers & New York Knicks Updates
By all accounts, Mitchell Robinson is one of those bigs. He took to social media this summer to complain about his role with the Knicks. Apparently, Robinson thinks he’s deserving of more usage. Should the Pacers offer it to him?
Why The Indiana Pacers Do The Deal
That’s not really the question. The question is whether the Pacers would benefit from the version of Robinson that we’re familiar with. Still, it’s worth noting that the Pacers’ pecking order isn’t as crowded as New York’s. If the Pacers wanted to allow Robinson to expand his role, they’d be able to justify that decision.
Meanwhile, they may not need Turner’s floor spacing. The Pacers are built around Tyrese Haliburton – he’s one of the best shooters in the NBA. For that matter, so is Buddy Hield. The vertical spacing that Robinson provides would be perfect for the Pacers on offense. Defensively, he’s at least as impactful as Turner – if not more so.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers & New York Knicks Updates
Finally, the addition of Quickley is obviously meaningful as well. He’s a bit redundant with Benedict Mathurin, but that’s fine – the Pacers can sort that out later. Throw in an unprotected first, and they’re getting good value for Turner here. Should the Knicks fork over that value?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
The Knicks do this deal to land the best player in the trade. Robinson is a good modern big man – Turner is better. His ability to shoot opens up any possibility for the team that he’s on.
Moreover, Turner provides similar vertical spacing. If Robinson has any advantage on him defensively, it’s minimal. There’s no question that Turner is the best player in this trade. Is he worth the cost that the Knicks are paying for him here?
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers & New York Knicks Updates
We think so. The Knicks are in win-now mode. They can spare a first-rounder. Meanwhile, they’re directly replacing Robinson here, so losing him is insignificant. From that point of view, the only major loss here is Quickley. He’s a quality young player, but Turner would contribute more to the Knicks in 2023-24. After all, he’s the perfect modern big man.
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