Penny for your thoughts? On the Sixers' opening day, if you could really get inside the mind of Evan Turner, what do you think he is thinking? The No. 2 overall pick was not traded this offseason when it looked like the Sixers were doing all they could to retool the entire roster. So, why hang on to ET?
With the dust settled and the final cuts and acquisitions made, Turner is still donning blue and white and is arguably the Sixers’ best offensive option this season.
Turner is facing a watershed moment as his rookie contract closes. If the Sixers do not sign him to a contract extension before the Oct. 31 deadline, he will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
It has been far from an outpouring of brotherly love for ET. As a highly touted draft pick in 2009, his three-plus years in Philly have been marred by the disparity between expectations and reality. Expectations for a No. 2 overall draft pick can range from the pinnacle of prospects like Kevin Durant or the dreg of draftees, Darko Milicic. Turner is somewhere in between. The 6-foot-7 wing averaged a little more than 13 points last season and has steadily increased his assists, rebounding and scoring totals over his three years in South Philly.
You would imagine Turner is wondering where he fits in as the Sixers reshape the franchise. Working in his favor, Turner fits the mold of the player the team has targeted as of late -- high draft picks with low salaries and considerable upside.
Is Turner jaded about the team’s current state of affairs? Would you be? Imagine being the face of a franchise headed nowhere in a hurry -- playing out the string, unsure you’re even a part of the future. It's a challenging situation to say the least.
For now, Turner is towing the company line and putting the team above himself. In a season sure to be filled with weary moments because of the Sixers' unofficial plan, Turner and several other players could be casualties of a much-needed rebuild. Some form of a Sixers trade before the February deadline is as sure a thing as Michael Jordan in the clutch. Whether Turner is a part of that exodus is unknown.
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What we do know is Turner’s future is cloudy and may not clear up until his on-court production shows the new Sixers regime exactly what it has.
After playing in the shadow of Andre Iguodala, Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday for three seasons, the Sixers' revamp may be coming at just the right time for Turner’s coming-out party.