Pacers Head Coach Rick Carlisle Reveals Myles Turner Injury is Worse Than Expected

The 3-and-D Indiana center will be out longer than initially anticipated.

Jan 29, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) rebounds the ball in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

3-and-D Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner will be sidelined far longer than his team had initially anticipated.

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Per Tony East of ClutchPoints, Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters that the 6-foot-11 big man out of Texas is on the shelf through at least the All-Star break.

Myles Turner is out through the All-Star break, Rick Carlisle says. He won’t even travel tomorrow.

— Tony East (@TonyREast) February 11, 2025

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It appears Indiana signed new center Jahlil Okafor to a 10-day contract with the team not a moment too soon. Per Akeem Glaspie of The Indianapolis Star, Carlisle has indicated that it's possible Okafor suits up as soon as Tuesday's evening tilt against the mighty New York Knicks. He was only officially inked Tuesday morning.

Carlisle added that there’s a chance former No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafpr will play tonight.

— Akeem Glaspie (@THEAkeemGlaspie) February 11, 2025

Backup center Thomas Bryant is likely to earn the starting center nod, while reserve big man Obi Toppin should get the bulk of Indiana's backup minutes behind Bryant. But Okafor could at least sneak in a cameo.

But this Turner news is a fairly ominous development.

The 28-year-old hurt his neck in a 119-112 victory over the L.A. Clippers on February 6, and has been on the shelf every since.

When healthy, he's been the rim-protecting, 3-point shooting two-way force he's always been during his 10 years with Indiana. This season, Turner is averaging 15.1 points on .475/.398/.752 shooting splits, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.5 assists, and 0.8 steals a night across 46 games.

Bryant will have his work cut out for him on Tuesday, as he faces off against five-time All-Star Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns.

In his 25 games for Indiana this year (he was a trade acquisition from the Miami Heat after backup bigs Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman both tore their Achilles tendons), Bryant has averaged 7.4 points on a .536/.386/.800 slash line, 4.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.5 blocks in 15.5 minutes per.

Across the three Pacers games he's started for Turner, Bryant — a solid shooter for the position — has at least been able to replicate Turner's offense. In those three contests, he's averaging 14.7 points on 67.9 percent shooting from the field and 7.3 rebounds.

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