National Basketball Association

Viewing Evan Turner From Boston's Perspective

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Mar 21, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics (now with the Trail Blazers) guard Evan Turner (11). Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Evan Turner has been a hot topic of debate since he signed with the Trail Blazers. In hopes of understanding the situation better, RCP attempted to look at Turner through the Celtic’s eyes.

Evan Turner netted the biggest contract for a newcomer to the Trail Blazers this summer. His massive price-tag (70 million dollars) has fueled Portland’s detractors for almost two months now. In an effort to get a better idea on the situation surrounding Turner’s contract, we thought it would be a good idea to ask someone who has followed the Celtics during his tenure there. We sat down with Jeremy Karll of Hardwood Houdini (Boston’s FanSided Page) to ask him about his thoughts on the subject.

Steven Dewald: First off, congrats on the Celtics landing Al Horford. The Boston offseason has been a bit of a mixed bag. Where does Evan Turner’s departure land on the spectrum of things that happened for the Celtics over the summer?

Jeremy Karll: It’s pretty high up there, probably right below signing Al Horford and missing out on Kevin Durant. Heading into the summer it was known that the Celtics probably wouldn’t be able to get him cheap, even with him saying he was willing to give them a hometown discount. He was the leader of the second unit and was the main ball-handler outside of Isaiah Thomas, so his departure was very big. He leaves a big hole to be filled, but the Celtics were smart not to use their cap room on another middle of the road player. If the Celtics didn’t have Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart behind him then we might not be having this conversation.

SD: Turner was a solid player for you guys over his two year stint. What would you say is the biggest thing that he brings to the table?

JK: His versatility and ability to run the offense. He’s not a good three-point shooter but he has a solid mid-range game, is a great passer, good rebounder and solid defender. If you need him to score then he’ll be more aggressive on offense but he really does what he’s asked and does it really well. I’d feel safe letting him lead the second unit, since he’s such a good playmaker.

April 1, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Boston Celtics (now with the Trail Blazers) guard Evan Turner (11). Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

SD: Given what you know about Turner’s game, do you think he will be able to overcome the criticism that has accompanied his 70 million dollar contract?

JK: I think it’s really hard to gauge contracts right now under the new cap. But I do think Portland knew they had extra cap space and Turner capitalized on it. With Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum it’s hard to see him having as big of a role with Portland that he had in Boston. He’s a solid player, but there’s a reason the Celtics let him walk. He’s not as overpaid as some say, but he was a little.

SD: Turner was on the verge of becoming a true lottery bust, but he really turned things around in Boston. How much credit does Brad Stevens deserve for Turner’s career revival?

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JK: I think Brad Stevens deserves a lot of credit, but Turner also found a role he could thrive in. He’s not the star player people pictured him as coming out of college, but he needs a sizable role to have an impact. With his poor shooting, Turner makes up for it as a playmaker. Stevens trusting in him and using him in lineups that gave him control of the second team offense were huge for him. Now teams know what to expect from him and how to use him so he should have a solid end to his career.

SD: Kelly Olynyk seems fairly bummed-out that Turner won’t be returning to Boston for the 2016-17 season. Is that an accurate reflection of how good of a teammate/person Turner seemed to be while he was with the Celtics? How was he viewed from the fanbase’s perspective?

JK: There were few players more liked than Evan Turner. He was a hard worker, never complained and was a true professional from day one, acting as a mentor to younger players. He’s not going to be that star player who brings a championship to Portland, but everyone needs a great locker room veteran whose great with the media.

A big thank you once again to Jeremy for taking the time to chat with us. So what do you think, is Turner worth the investment?

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