Miles Turner Contract Forecast: How much money can you make in the Pacers’ free agent era?

Currently, most people related to the Indiana Pacers are focused on teams competing for the NBA championship. The team management does not have this privilege. They need to be prepared to find a way to retain star center Miles Turner at the moment the free agent market opens.

For a Pacers who want to avoid paying luxury taxes, renewing a contract with Turner is not easy. Keeping this space-based center means that the team is easily trapped in the quagmire of luxury tax. The question that the Pacers need to think about is whether they can avoid exceeding the second-tier salary cap. It's hard to imagine that the team owner would approve such expenses, even if the purpose is to retain the NBA championship title.

Turner and his agent hope that Turner's salary will increase significantly compared to his salary of about $20.5 million this season. The two-year contract extension he signed with the Pacers was a good deal for the team. Brokers certainly don’t want to see their big-name clients sign contracts that cannot maximize their market value. The Pacers must raise their salary to retain Miles Turner as a core player. The Pacers knew clearly that Tyreth Halliburton was their future star player. Pascal Siakam also believes that he is the second best player in the team. Turner's supporters will point out that his playing style is perfectly matched with his teammates with strong ball-handling skills.

On the offensive end, Turner has grown into one of the most efficient long-distance shooting centers in the league. He averaged 5.5 shots per game this year, with a career-high 39.6% shooting percentage.

It would be great if he could find a way to increase the number of shots, but given the staffing of the Pacers starting lineup, it was not easy for Turner. The good news about his next contract is that there is no reason to believe that his shooting ability will drop as he enters his early 30s. There is even good reason to suggest that his 3-point shooting percentage may improve during the next contract period given his recent improvements in 3-point shooting.

In terms of defense, Turner is the core pillar of the Pacers' inside line with his superb blocking ability. He may not be a great defensive player, but his athleticism is enough to stand up to most opponents. His main task remains to protect the rim for the next few seasons. Turner's defensive ability can be expected to decline, but that should not stop him from getting a big contract. The Pacers also have to face the reality that it is nearly impossible to replace Turner through free agent markets or drafts. After helping the team reach the NBA Finals, he has a huge influence on the team. Having him leave the team as a free agent will arouse the anger of enthusiastic fans of the team.

Miles Turner 2025 Free agent market contract forecast

Considering all these factors, we have reason to believe that Turner will find the contract he wants. The Pacers may try to reject the contract period he wants, but they can't afford the tough price. If they can end the negotiations with a five-year, $150 million contract, they should think it is a huge success.

It is wise to do that the Pacers have to pay a little more than this number to complete the deal and avoid the deal turning into a long contract dispute. Turner's final contract forecast should increase to $160 million in five years. This should be worth the money for both parties. It also helps the Pacers continue to maintain their Eastern Conference contender status for the foreseeable future.