Myles Turner could be the Minnesota Timberwolves’ third star

Turner’s Current Situation

After being in the top-5 in defensive player of the year voting as well as being top-5 in blocks per game in 2018-19, Myles Turner finds himself the odd man out after Domantas Sabonis has exploded for the Indiana Pacers this past season.

The Pacers find themselves at a crossroads and are likely to trade either Turner or Sabonis. After Sabonis played his way onto an All-Star team this past season, it seems as though Turner is the more likely of the two to get moved. Sitting at the fifth overall seed in the Eastern Conference (and 13 total games above 0.500), it does not seem as though Indiana is in a rush to move on from Turner, even after not making a single move at the trade deadline this past February.

In terms of contracts, Turner is on a very solid value deal. He is signed to a four-year, $80 million contract set to expire in 2023 (the same year as D’Angelo Russell). Turner is also around the same age as both of the Timberwolves existing stars, as he was also taken in the 2015 draft class. Both Towns and Russell are 24 years old. The timeline matches up.

Ideally, when looking for a third piece to add for a possible championship run, teams look for fit, value, and timeline. Turner hits all of those qualifiers without missing a beat. He is a 3-and-D big with excellent defensive capabilities inside the paint. He would bring a much-needed presence to the Timberwolves and would mesh very well with Towns’ scoring ability.