As the Indiana Pacers continue their impressive run in the Eastern Conference finals, leading the New York Knicks 2-1, the franchise is making a bold move that could be a game-changer for their future. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Pacers are considering going into luxury tax territory to retain starting center Myles Turner, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Turner, who is currently earning $19.9 million this year, is one of the best deals in the NBA. His production this postseason has been outstanding, with 16.5 points per game and nearly 38.9% from the 3-point range, along with elite defense. However, his value goes beyond just his production; he's been a crucial piece of the Pacers' success over the past decade and is only 29 years old. The Pacers' willingness to spend isn't just good news for Turner's production but also for the current direction of the team and the franchise's overarching vision. Imagine a scenario where the Pacers made two straight conference finals and then cheapened out in the offseason, losing their starting center of the past decade. That would be organizational malpractice and would send a message to Pacers fans that the organization is not serious about winning. Fortunately, the report is pointing in the opposite direction. The Pacers have gone aggressively after players like Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam in recent trades, and they've built a product that fits alongside those two. The Pacers are elite as a result of that roster construction, which puts the onus on both team president Kevin Pritchard and team owner Herb Simon to keep building. That doesn't just mean finding outside help but also retaining key pieces like Turner. Turner will be looking at a hefty raise, and he's earned it based on years of consistent play, particularly defensively. If he signs a new four-year deal, he'll be 33 when it expires, but the year-to-year cap increases (estimated to be 10% every summer due to the league's new TV deal) will have his cap-percentage decline every season moving forward, which should negate concerns of Turner clogging up the cap. Even with Turner's potential new deal, the Pacers still have other players like Benedict Mathurin and Aaron Nesmith who will be eligible for new deals in the coming years. Mathurin will be extension eligible this summer, and Nesmith is enormously underpaid for what he offers. Both will look for strong increases in pay, adding more money to Indiana's cap. The Pacers can't just re-sign Turner and call it a day. They have to carry that same mindset onto other players who have proven crucial to their success. There are areas where they can help offset some of those rising costs, such as potentially reducing minutes for T.J. McConnell or exploring options with Obi Toppin, who has another $45 million on his deal after this season but is playing under 17 minutes per game during the playoffs. The main priority for the Pacers shouldn't be to duck the tax moving forward or to dip their toes into it briefly just to show the fan base they kept Turner. They have a genuine window to win the title, and that window could be open for another three or four years if they play their cards right and shell out to keep momentum going. If they do, they not only stand a decent chance of winning a ring but also to rid themselves of the reputation of being a cheap franchise, something that has followed them for decades.
