Could Celtics Lose Evan Turner To New York?

The New York Knicks are reportedly interested in Evan Turner

While unrestricted free agent Evan Turner has stated on multiple occasions that returning to the Boston Celtics for a third season remains his top priority entering the free agency period, the Atlantic Division rival New York Knicks have been rumored to be planning on making a pitch to the 27-year-old come July 1.

Turner was a candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year Award after posting 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 28.0 minutes per contest. He established himself as an all-around weapon, someone capable of finding his own shot, utilizing his court vision to locate teammates, defending the glass rebounding-wise, and running the fast break with tremendous efficiency.

Despite his horrid 24 percent mark from three-point range, Turner shot a career-high 45.6 percent from the field, taking advantage of his patented midrange game to keep opposing defenses at bay.

The 6’7″ winger mentioned in an interview with Complex, “The future is in the mid-range. The mid-range is where the money’s at, man…Evan M. Turner. For sure, ‘M’ stands for mid-range. Anywhere within 15 feet is cash. I’ll try to get better at threes, but that’s my game.”

Turner took on an amplified role in the postseason following the series-ending hamstring injury to starting shooting guard Avery Bradley in Game 1 of the Celtics opening-round defeat to the Atlanta Hawks. He saw his usage rise to 35.6 minutes per outing while posting 17 points and at least six assists in both of Boston’s victories in the series.

As much as general manager Danny Ainge has an affinity for the playing-style of Turner and his value in head coach Brad Stevens‘ system, it will likely require accepting a pay cut for the five-year veteran to remain in Boston. The Celtics will attempt to dedicate the majority of their generous cap space to attracting a player worth a max contract.

Furthermore, Boston’s depth at the shooting guard position could make Turner expendable, with the likes of Bradley, Marcus Smart, James Young, R.J. Hunter, and Terry Rozier all under contract for next season. The team could also potentially utilize the third pick to draft Kentucky’s Jamal Murray or Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield.

Enter the Knicks. Although Turner stated in his interview with Complex that he would never like to put himself in a situation where losing is the expectation, making signing with 32-50 New York an interesting proposition, the Knicks have a solid foundation built around Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. Also, they could offer Turner a more lucrative deal and more playing time flexibility than could the Celtics.

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Turner’s decision will rest on whether he feels as though Boston, where he has resurrected his reputation from that of a bust of a second overall pick in the 2010 draft to a legitimate multi-faceted player, is the best place for him to thrive or if a situation in a different city appears more attractive.