Surprising Development With Myles Turner

Myles Turner has been on the trade block for seemingly most of his tenure in the Hoosier State. There had been absolutely no indications that the Indiana Pacers were interested in extending him before the expiration of his contract at the end of this season. 

Until now.

A new report from NBA Insider Shams Charania in The Athletic says the Pacers and Turner are now engaged in extension talks and are exploring a potential new contract for the big man. A "renegotiation-and-extension framework" has been discussed with his agency, CAA Sports.

Because of their $25M in cap space, notes Charania, the Pacers can offer Turner up to $19.1M more this year on top of his $18M salary, pushing him up to his max of $37.1M for this season, and then dropping his salary in the following seasons of a potential new contract. 

There is a deadline for all this to happen, however: March 1st. According to contract rules,  no extension can be agreed upon between March 1 and June 30.

Now in Year 8 since the Pacers selected him with the No. 11 pick in the 2015 Draft, Turner is having perhaps his best season, averaging 16.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocked shots, and shooting 41.7% from 3-point range. He's finally back to playing his natural center position, with Domantas Sabonis having been sent to Sacramento last season for new floor leader Tyrese Haliburton.

The Pacers are unexpectedly in the heat of contention for a playoff berth, sitting at 16-16, in 8th spot in the Eastern Conference.

Photo: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports