Rumors: Mavericks out on Myles Turner trade

The Dallas Mavericks have been rumored to be interested in trading for Pacers center Myles Turner on multiple occasions. Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus even noted the Mavs were favorites to land him on Jan. 17, but an injury may have changed his market.

Adrian Wojnarowski reported that a foot injury will keep Turner out through the Feb. 10 trade deadline, and the Pacers will re-evaluate the 6’11 big man in two weeks. Woj notes that a deal is still possible, but the injury makes it harder for Indiana to maximize Turner’s value.

Marc Stein quickly followed that the Mavericks had reportedly “backed off on its interest even before Turner’s foot injury”. Stein is as plugged in with the Mavs as it gets, so fans should not expect Dallas to land the Pacers big man unless the injury plummets his value. Here is a look at why Dallas needs to learn from a past mistake and avoid Myles Turner.

Rumors: Dallas Mavericks out on Myles Turner trade

Last season, the Mavs traded for J.J. Redick at the deadline, but the sharpshooter was out with a foot injury. He returned in early April, but only played in 13 games before re-injuring the foot and missing the rest of the season.

Dallas wants to win now, and they need to improve their roster to become true title contenders. Trading for an injured Myles Turner would be a massive gamble in the short term. Turner has topped 65 games just once in the last five seasons. He is no stranger to dealing with injuries and his latest foot injury figures to keep him out multiple weeks. The Pacers noted he would be re-evaluated in two weeks. There is no guarantee he returns shortly after that.

Myles Turner is under contract for next season at $18 million, but his fit next to Kristaps Porzingis should bring about enough questions to keep the Mavs away. His foot injury just adds another layer of issues, and it appears to be enough to force Dallas to withdraw their interest in the 25-year-old big man.

Myles Turner’s trade market is something to watch as Feb. 10 approaches. He is one of the league’s best rim protectors and would give any contender a stretch five to improve their spacing. Is he healthy enough to play? When will he return to action? Will the Dallas Mavericks jump back into the Turner sweepstakes? Keep it locked to The Smoking Cuban for all the latest.