Despite finishing the 2019-20 NBA season as one of the worst teams in the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors are emerging as one of the top favorites to bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy next year. Aside from making sure that their core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green will be back in perfect shape, rumors are circulating that the Warriors are planning to search for major roster upgrades this fall. One of the potential targets for the Warriors in the 2020 offseason is Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers have not shown a strong indication that they are planning to move Turner, but with the emergence of Domantas Sabonis in Indiana, most people expect him to be available on the trading block this fall. According to Tony Pesta of Fansided’s Blue Man Hoop , Turner could be the “missing ingredient” to the Warriors’ championship core next season.
“Turner is a great shot blocker – leading the league in blocks last year and posting over 2 a game this year. He will defend the rim at an elite level but is a below-average rebounder for his position. Nonetheless, Turner can anchor the Dubs’ efforts in the paint. On offense, he is one of the best 3-point shooting bigs in the NBA. He drilled nearly 100 3-pointers this year on 34.4 percent shooting and was close to 40 percent last season. Turner will bring quality shooting on this end of the floor and spread the defense. The Warriors would be unstoppable with a weapon like Turner playing alongside the Splash Brothers and Draymond Green.”
If Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t become available, targeting Turner in the 2020 offseason would make a lot of sense for the Warriors. He may not be a legitimate superstar, but he would still be an incredible addition to Golden State, giving them an All-Star caliber big man who is capable of knocking down shots from the three-point range.
Aside from his ability to space the floor, Turner is also a very reliable scoring option under the basket, a great rebounder, and a quality rim protector. So far, he’s averaging 12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN . Turner may not being showing any sign that he’s no longer happy in Indiana, but he would definitely be intrigued by the idea of playing alongside Curry, Thompson, and Green in Golden State. Compared to the Pacers, the Warriors would give him a realistic chance of winning his first NBA championship title.