Myles Turner

Coming off a second consecutive season in which his time was cut short due to injury, Turner comes into the 2022-23 season with a point to prove. While he is slated to be the starting center in Indiana, trade rumors continue to swirl as much as they have for the past couple of years. Turner ended the 2021-22 campaign as the 25th ranked player when considering per-game value in eight-category leagues, thanks mainly to his league-leading 2.8 blocks per game. Add to that the fact he shot a career-high 51 percent from the field while connecting on a career-best 1.5 triples, and you have a player who still has a lot to offer. Based on what we know right now, he should be able to replicate those numbers. However, managers will want to keep in mind that his value primarily relies on one category. If his block numbers fall significantly, his overall value will take a hit. He remains an elite fantasy target but is better suited to category leagues, especially for those chasing early blocks.

Turner appeared in just 47 games last season due to a toe injury, but he put together the best year of his career when healthy. He blocked 3.4 shots per game, marking his second time leading the NBA in blocks. He also averaged 12.6 points on a career-best 59.9 true shooting percentage. While his rebounding (6.5) remains low, Turner's overall numbers allowed him to rank 28th in per-game fantasy production -- the best mark of his career by four spots. It doesn't appear that Turner will end up turning into a volume shooter anytime soon, especially with the pieces around him in Indiana. Plus, his rebounding upside is low when sharing the court with Domantas Sabonis. However, he puts up some of the best defensive numbers in the league and provides a solid amount of threes (1.5 makes per game last year) for a center. There's only so much room for the 25-year-old to grow in his current role, but that doesn't mean fantasy managers should be discouraged from drafting him. He's still one of the best fantasy centers out there, and he'll likely be a consistent third to fourth-round selection in most drafts.

Turner's performance dipped slightly in 2019-20 as Domantas Sabonis took on a larger role, making his first All-Star team. Turner saw his stats decrease nearly across the board, averaging 12.1 points on 45.7 percent shooting, 6.6 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 1.4 threes, 1.2 assists and 0.7 steals. He was still able to rack up nine double-doubles and five games with five-plus blocks, but there were plenty of duds mixed in, as well. Over the past four years, his fantasy value has fluctuated, with Turner's best season being a rank of 32nd, while his worst season was a rank of 70th (per-game, eight-category leagues). It's becoming unclear if the 24-year-old will be able to become a consistent scorer and rebounder. His floor-spacing ability, shot-blocking and free-throw percentage are great qualities that project well in the modern NBA, but he hasn't been able to put it all together quite yet. If that happens, Turner clearly has second-round fantasy upside.

Coming off an underwhelming third season in which his per-game averages took a bit of a dip, Turner totally transformed his body last summer and bounced back in a big way in 2018-19. However, for the first time since 2013-14, the league leader in blocks did not earn All-Defensive honors, which may help fuel his fire even more heading into 2019-20. Along with swatting a career-best 2.7 blocks per game, Turner also chipped in career highs in made threes per game (1.0), three-point shooting percentage (38.8) and assists (1.6). Offensively, Turner remains a work in progress and occasionally shies away from open shots. Nevertheless, with Victor Oladipo (knee) likely to be sidelined until at least December or January, Turner may be called upon to pick up the slack as a scorer to start the campaign. The fact that the Pacers are expected to start another traditional big man (Domantas Sabonis) alongside Turner won't help him improve his mediocre rebounding average (7.2), but the 23-year-old center should continue to increase his three-point attempts. Moreover, the offseason addition of Malcolm Brogdon provides Turner with a talented point guard for pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations. Another leap is certainly in the cards, especially if Turner can get back to earning at least 30 minutes per game, which he did as a sophomore in 2016-17. Still, it's possible he's destined to be a low-usage offensive player.

After a strong sophomore campaign, Turner was expected to take another step forward in 2017-18 and appeared to be a prime candidate to up his production following the departures of big-time contributors Paul George and Jeff Teague. However, it was offseason addition, Victor Oladipo, that really shined and turned himself into the go-to option, while Turner remained more of a complementary piece. To begin with, the 6-foot-11 big man struggled a bit with his health and despite starting every game he played in, was limited to just 65 contests due to a concussion and an elbow injury. Even when Turner did take the court, though, he appeared to regress as a whole and finished the season with averages of 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks, all of which were down from 14.5, 7.3 and 2.1, respectively. Adding on to that, his 47.9 percent clip from the field was well below others at his position. Still, Turner's athleticism, rim-protecting skills and ability to stretch the floor (35.7% from deep in 2017-18) are key attributes to have as a center in today's NBA, so his workload shouldn't take any drastic hits despite the down year. Look for Turner to operate as the third or fourth option offensively, but his rebound and block totals should still earn him a selection in the middle rounds of most Fantasy leagues. A bounce-back season is certainly in play and Turner is still only 22 years old, so improvements with his overall game and production wouldn't be unexpected.

Turner, at 20-years-old, was the legitimate starting center for the Pacers last season. He got the nod in all 81 games he appeared in, posting 14.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 assists across 31.4 minutes per game. He also shot an efficient 51.1 percent from the field while going 40-for-115 (34.8 percent) from beyond the arc. Turner fits the mold of the prototypical modern center – he’s athletic, he’s a shot-blocking presence and he can stretch the floor. The 2017-18 season looks like it could have the makings of a breakout campaign for Turner, as the Pacers’ top two scorers from last season – Paul George and Jeff Teague – are no longer with the team. The Pacers didn’t replace the pair with high-caliber offensive talent, either, adding Victor Oladipo, Darren Collison and Cory Joseph to the mix. With the Pacers in a rebuilding effort as well, and Turner arguably having the most upside on the roster, there should be no shortage of touches for him. The fact that he’s not exactly a household name may also result in him sliding down the draft board. For that reason, it’s probably worth checking to see if Turner is available during a draft, no matter what the round, as he has the potential to be one of the Fantasy steals for the upcoming season.

Considered a relatively raw prospect after he was drafted 11th overall out of Texas, Turner surpassed expectations in his first NBA season, averaging 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 22.8 minutes per game for the Pacers. A fractured left thumb caused Turner to miss 21 of the Pacers’ first 30 games, but he quickly regained his bearings and played his way into the starting lineup by late January. Turner would go on to start half of his 60 total games, averaging 27.8 minutes per game as a starter, versus just 17.8 as a reserve. With Ian Mahinmi now in Washington, the center spot is clearly Turner’s for the taking, and a significant increase in minutes should be expected. The Pacers brought in Thaddeus Young and Al Jefferson over the summer, but Young will see the vast majority of his minutes at power forward, while the league as a whole has seemingly outgrown Jefferson’s plodding, back-to-the-basket style. Turner is on the short list of potential fantasy breakout players this season, and his potential will only rise if he develops into a more reliable catch-and-shoot threat in the mid-to-long range.

The 11th draft pick in the 2015 NBA Draft has a golden opportunity to shine in Indiana. With low post options Roy Hibbert and David West leaving town, there is a giant void in the Pacers low post. It's just the kind of void that the 7-foot, solid-framed Turner should help fill. Turner was a beast at the Orlando Summer League. Through three games, he averaged 18.7 points, 0.7 three-pointers, 8.3 rebounds, and a whooping 4.3 blocks in 29 minutes per game. Admittedly, that's a small sample size. But the rookie also shot 61 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line, solid percentages for a 19-year-old facing tougher competition. The Pacers have a thin frontcourt with limited potential, so there's room for Turner to possibly claim the starting center job at some point this season. Myles will battle Jordan Hill, Ian Mahinmi, and Lavoy Allen for minutes, though Hill will also see time at power forward. Mahinmi and Allen are career bench players, meaning the path to minutes should be accessible for Turner. Expect coach Frank Vogel to start slow with Turner but grant him more minutes as the season progresses. Turner is especially appealing in fantasy keeper leagues.