The NY Knicks reportedly are one of several teams that have their eyes on Myles Turner as we head into NBA free agency.
According to J. Michael of The Indy Star, The Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks have expressed interest in Turner for a significant amount of time. The Minnesota Timberwolves also have strong interest in Turner.
Myles Turner is set to make roughly 18 million per year through the 2022-23 season.
Turner has consistently been one of the top centers in the league for the Pacers and he’d instantly be an upgrade at the 5 for the Knicks.
His 3.4 blocks per game lead the entire NBA, which marked the second time in his career he was a league leader in blocks.
Thanks to his 7’4 wingspan, good timing and agility, he’s one of the top rim protectors in the league.
He’s also a strong rebounder. Even though he only averages about 6 boards per game, this is because Turner prefers to box out and let his teammates get the rebound so his hard work on the glass often isn’t reflected on the stat sheet.
Should the NY Knicks look to trade for Myles Turner in the offseason?
The Knicks already have two very good defensive centers between Nerlens Noel and Mitchell Robinson, but what separates Turner from them is what he can do on offense.
Unlike Noel and Robinson Turner can space the floor out. His midrange shot is excellent and he’s a career 35% 3-point shooter.
His outside shooting isn’t great but he’s good enough where the defense has to respect his shot.
Turner isn’t just a stretch 5 on offense but he also can put the ball on the floor and get to the basket.
He often uses pump fakes to get defenders in the air and blows right past them as soon as they bite.
He’s also good as a scorer in the pick and roll, where he can use his size and athleticism to catch lobs as the roll man.
Because of these abilities, Turner would significantly improve the Knicks ’ team offense. His ability to stretch the floor would make his teammate’s lives much easier.
The lack of a center who was an offensive threat became a problem in the playoffs.
In the Knicks first-round playoff series against the Hawks, Atlanta was able to use Clint Capela to double team Julius Randle because neither Noel nor Taj Gibson can space the floor.
Turner would open up the lane for Julius Randle, making it more difficult for opponents to double team and making it easier for him to drive to the basket.
Because he’s more offensively potent, Turner would be a significant upgrade for the Knicks at the center position.
If the Pacers make Turner available when trade season opens up, the Knicks definitely should have interest.
Here is a trade I worked up for Turner:
In a potential trade, the Knicks trade Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox and a 2023 first-round pick to the Pacers for Myles Turner.
My colleague Brad Dressler has written about a trade for Turner before, and he believes that Mitch and Knox get the dead done.
I on the other hand think that adding in Knox to the deal is the equivalent of adding a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, so the Knicks need to include the Dallas 2023 first round pick to sweeten the deal.