Myles Turner doesn’t know what to expect when he returns to Indiana

this monday, Miles Turner returns to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for the first time under the colors Bucks. For ten seasons the room was his garden, he embodied one of the faces of the franchise before he left Pacers this summer to join Milwaukee on a four-year, $107 million deal with a “player option” for the final season.

A pick that surprised, even disappointed, some Indiana fans. Especially as the pivot joins one of the franchise’s recent rivals, after sparks were born in the 2023 NBA Cup semifinals and then reignited during the last two playoff clashes, both won by the Pacers.

And during the Bucks’ “media day,” Myles Turner did not calm the spirits : “Now I’m in a city that wants to highlight me. There’s a nice saying that says, ‘Go where you’re celebrated.’ That’s what I feel here. People are excited to have me. » A statement that was poorly received in Indiana, to the point where the 29-year-old center had to clarify that he wasn’t targeting the fans or the franchise, but rather expressing his feelings after a complicated free agency.

A few hours before the reunion with the former audience, he knows what to expect.

“There will be cheers, there will be whistles” theorizes Miles Turner. “Obviously the most important thing for me is to win this match, but there will be mixed feelings. There are still people in this team that I get on very well with, including my former teammates.”

Both camps fall under the burden

That’s because Myles Turner’s origins in Milwaukee would be mostly financial. Initially, the Pacers were inclined to pay the “luxury tax” to keep their pivot, but a ruptured Achilles tendon Tyrese Halliburton would cool the ambitions of the front office, which would offer “only” $95 million over four years according to information from the Indianapolis Star.

“The owners made a choice and I had to accept it” explains Miles Turner. “The hardest part was that we were so close to achieving our ultimate goal. I feel like they gave up.”

On the Pacers side, president Kevin Pritchard continues to confirm that the Pacers were willing to pay the “luxury tax” for Myles Turner. “What I do know is that Herb Simon (majority owner of the franchise) and Steven Riles (minority owner) were willing to pay the tax for him. That’s what we wanted, but sometimes in this league because a player is a free agent, he has the right to say, ‘This is the offer I want. I’m going to take it and it’s what’s best for my family.’ »

Ultimately, the end of this big money story may never be revealed, but one thing is certain: Myles Turner will be ready to challenge his former team the following night, starting at 1:00 a.m. French time.

How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.