The Pacers have recently began one of the most epic implosions in NBA history, and there seems to be no remedy in sight for Indiana. According to Philly.com, the latest issue for Indiana seems to be with their newest addition Evan Turner being considered as ‘selfish’ to his teammates. In a report from Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher, there Turner doesn’t seem to be meshing well with the team.
“Evan Turner and Lance Stephenson are both free agents to be, and we know with young guys looking for their first big contract, they can’t quite escape that what their production is, is going to have a big impact on the kind of contract they receive,” he said.
Bucher went on to explain that, before the trade for Turner, Stephenson was clearly the “next big thing” in Indiana with Granger on his way out, but the addition of Turner has muddied that somewhat, as Turner is “trying to accomplish the very same thing.”
According to Bucher’s report, the former 76er has only assisted on one, yes one, Hibbert basket since he became a part of the Pacers. That probably accounts for some of the perceived selfishness that Hibbert spoke of.
If this is true, then it seems like a scapegoat to me. The problems with the Pacers began well before Turner arrived to the team, but for a tanking team, it seems the easiest excuse may be to blame the new guy. Truth be told, the team’s problems began around the all-star break, and the lack of production from the main guys, such as Paul George and Roy Hibbert, should be more of a concern than what Evan Turner is bringing to the team.