Former No. 2 pick Evan Turner has signed with the Boston Celtics after falling on hard times in Indiana last season, reports Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
Evan Turner signs with Boston Celtics, according to report
Turner will look to revive his career on a Celtics team that likely will be in the lottery again.
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Celtics finishing deal for FA Evan Turner, sources tell Herald. He will get a portion of their mid-level exception.
— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) July 21, 2014 Terms of the deal have yet to be announced, but it will certainly be a pay cut on the money he earned from his large rookie-scale contract last season.
Turner has been an NBA disappointment since being selected one pick behind John Wall in the 2010 draft. He never emerged as a star in Philadelphia, though he was at least a decent contributor and did average 17 points and six rebounds per game in Brett Brown’s high-paced system this year.
NBA Player Movement
But he badly struggled after being dealt to the Pacers in the middle of the season. His minutes dipped from 35 to 21 a game and so did his production, as he only averaged seven points per contest while shooting 41 percent from the field and playing poor defense. His ball-dominant style meshed horribly with Lance Stephenson, and their poor chemistry played at least a small part in Indiana’s demise. The Pacers didn’t even tender him a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Turner joins a young Celtics backcourt that includes established point guard Rajon Rondo, first-round draft pick Marcus Smart and the newly re-signed Avery Bradley.
See More:
