6th Man of the Year Snub Evan Turner Finds Validation with Boston Celtics
BOSTON — Evan Turner joined the Boston Celtics two years ago in search of an opportunity and redemption. With teammate Avery Bradley expected to be sidelined for the rest of Boston's first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, Turner could find all of that and more. The Celtics will likely lean on the six-year veteran more than ever as they attempt to upset the fourth-seeded Hawks.
The second overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft saw his stock plummet around the league in 2013 after challenging stints with the Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers. He gambled on a team in the midst of a complete overhaul in Boston, a place where he could rebuild his reputation.
The Celtics and Turner are now enjoying the mutual benefits of that decision. The 27-year-old wing averaged 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 28 minutes per game for Boston during the 2015-16 regular season, establishing himself as a legitimate Sixth Man of the Year contender on a 48-win team (Jamal Crawford surprisingly won the award Tuesday).
Head coach Brad Stevens has utilized Turner's versatility to play and defend multiple positions, a strategy that has showcased the 6'7'' swingman's potential value to other teams as the entire league shifts to playing more and more small-ball lineups.
“Evan Turner’s been really good since he’s been here,” Stevens told Bleacher Report last month. “The thing I’ve said all along is he’s a jack of all trades. He does a lot of good things for our team."
Bleacher Report caught up with Turner last week before the start of the playoffs to discuss his rise among the NBA's top sixth men, Boston's postseason prospects, the expectations that come with being the No. 2 overall pick and much more.
Bleacher Report: You came to Boston two summers ago on a fairly modest contract. What were your expectations for the team when you first signed with the franchise, and how have those expectations compared to reality?
Evan Turner: I knew the fanbase was going to be crazy, you know what I'm saying? I wasn't too sure what was going to go on and how we were going to develop. There were so many questions and limbo with the roster and everything.
But I kind of had faith in the knowledge of [Celtics general manager] Danny Ainge. He played here and I had heard from the past he was trying to win championships. Not a lot of GMs talk about that. And with Brad, I knew he had a lot of basketball knowledge. It was all pretty good on the college level.
B/R: Your big year off the bench has put you in the conversation for the Sixth Man of the Year award. How does it feel to be in that kind of company with guys like Andre Iguodala and Jamal Crawford? Do you feel deserving of it?
Turner: Andre Iguodala is one of my best friends. I always respected his career, how he played the game and his knowledge. Jamal Crawford won the award a few times and always did his thing. He always came in, played big games and hit big shots. I always respected that.
I always admired how Manu Ginobili came off the bench and played the game. Not saying I shot as well as him or anything, but he was always in attack mode and always made something happen. So when I thought about a sixth man coming off the bench, I always thought of a Manu or Andre.
B/R: Has seeing guys like that sacrifice some pride and play off the bench made it an easier transition for you as well from starting? Do you see yourself in that kind of role long-term?
Turner: I think I'm fortunate to play around 30 minutes a game, so it's similar to starting. My game didn't really change, so it wasn't anything like that. I think the game has been trending and changing on that front, so starting isn't as important as it was once viewed among players. At the end of the day, I just wanted to get in where I fit in and try my best to play well.
B/R: What's behind your recent late-game heroics? You've been becoming a go-to guy for Boston for one-on-one plays at end of games.
Turner: Basically, I made big shots my whole career, especially down the stretch. When you're a kid, you always see a countdown. When I was younger, my dad was like, "Don't be one of those guys who plays the whole game and when it comes down to crunch time, you don't want the ball."
As a kid, when somebody tells you that, you always keep it in your mind. I always snap more into a Slim Jim over the final five minutes as opposed the maybe the first 43 minutes of the game.
B/R: Do you feel like you've been able to execute better in those instances after getting established in Boston with a solid supporting cast around you too?
Turner: I think I've always done it, not to be arrogant or anything. I hit a lot of game-winners in Philadelphia. I've hit four versus Boston alone. I always hit a lot of those and took great pride in having the ball down the stretch and making the most of it.
I just think when you work on your game and play hard, you are more prepared for that. Mentally, I was never really nervous going into those situations. I know my skill set was already ready and I was prepared since I worked individually by myself.
B/R: Critics were on your case early in your career saying you were a jack-of-all-trades who really wasn't a master of any...but isn't that exactly the type of player Draymond Green or Iguodala has proven so valuable as?
Turner: That's how it should always be. I mean, it's a game of basketball. James Naismith created for you to shoot, pass and dribble. I think people got the wrong mindset if you come out and are a one-trick pony. I mean, how are you valuable that way? I've become a better shooter. I don't shoot with the best of them, but I think I can fit in at a high level and playmake at a high level. I think sometimes it gets lost in translation.
I think guys like myself and Andre, we can dominate a game without scoring. Sometimes, to the naked eye or people who don't know the game, they just go off stats. But a guy who gets 15 points a game and just one assist, what are you really doing for anybody?
B/R: So do you view yourself as a glue guy then?
Turner: I think so, especially on this team. The biggest thing you have to do on a team is find out how to complement your teammates. We have a lot of great shooters and a lot of great scorers. I fit in where I can with them, and I try to score when I can and make the right plays.
B/R: You had a tough finish to your stints in both Philadelphia and Indiana. At any point during those years, did you lose some confidence, especially when people were labeling you a bust early on?
Turner: As a kid, as a youth, I think I was still growing up and maturing in general. I was still a kid. I never went through anything like that. I went from being an under-the-radar type of guy a little bit, to being a guy where they always had the cameras on me to see how I reacted to stuff.
I think sometimes, I could have handled things better. Sometimes in a 82-game system, it's a grind. I think as you get older, it's all about staying even-keeled. I think that's where I've matured a lot, as opposed to being too high or too low.
B/R: So you never felt forced or pressured to change your game in order to meet the high expectations people had for you as a top pick?
Turner: I always just played how I played. When it came down to it, sometimes the No. 2 pick gets judged harder. You might have a guy who is an eighth pick playing decently well, but I was playing better than him. But since I was a No. 2 pick, I got bashed.
Aaron McKie always told me I have a skill set where I can make my teammates better and I have a great midrange game and that's a lost art. "Just stick with that and keep trying to get better." I always thought I was developing nicely each year in Philadelphia, but I had a two-pick label. My first year I started, which was my third year, I was averaging 14 points, almost seven rebounds and five assists in the East.
B/R: You did make a strong impact in that 2012 postseason when the Sixers upset the Chicago Bulls in the first round back in your second year as well.
Turner: I hit like three game-winners that whole playoffs. But I was a two-pick. When much is given, much is expected. I was also in a tough city. When I would go elsewhere, I would see people bragging about [their team's] players and I'd be like, "This can't be serious. These guys are terrible." But sometimes [people around the league] don't watch the Sixers. I've had other coaches come up to me and be like, "Man I really didn't know you were this good." It is what it is.
I think it made me tougher for situations like this, and I think it matured me. I think it changed my approach to the game and made me have more fun with it and say, "To hell with what anyone thinks." I really don't wake up and care what anybody says. I'm going to play how I play when it all comes down to it. As long as my coaches accept it and my teammates like playing with me, that's all I can ask for.
B/R: You guys are back with the same core this year for the postseason with the addition of a few supporting pieces. With the added continuity now in place, how far can this team go? More than a series potentially?
Turner: Absolutely. We definitely want to win. We want to take it a step further and keep building. Win a series. I think as long as we execute and play ball the right way, we'll be fine. We definitely want to keep building, building and building.
B/R: Do you feel like this team is a superstar away from taking the next step this offseason? And how much has Boston's strong play this year made an impact on that front in potentially luring some star free agent to sign with the franchise, do you think?
Turner: We know guys always say "you guys play hard and tough." We've been hearing that for a while. We definitely comprehended that. We understood that's the way we have to look at things. At the same time, we're not going to worry about what occurs in our offseason.
We are going to make the most out of our situation and finish enjoying playing with each other, if this is our last go around. Other than that, I think we've earned guys' respect from players around the league.
B/R: You guys have played the Warriors as tough as anyone over the last couple of years. Why do you match up so well with them? What would be the outcome if you faced them in a seven-game series?
Turner: I think guard play. I think we have great defensive guards and it matches up with them. Their guards aren't too tall. Sometimes we struggle more with a [Russell] Westbrook or a Kevin Durant because Westbrook is [long] and a freak of nature and KD is seven feet. Those guys cause mismatches. With Steph, Avery is a great defender. Smart can guard Klay and Harrison Barnes.
When it comes down to it, we always felt confident versus them. I'm not going to go as far as saying we would do this in a seven-game series, because they are the champs. They have been battle-tested. But we always like our odds when we step on the court with the Warriors. It's always been close games, good games. I think the biggest thing is execution down the stretch.
They've done a great job of keeping their core together, just like the Spurs. Not just the continuity, but they can pull out certain games since they've been battle-tested so long together. When we played them at the beginning of the year, we didn't think we were supposed to lose. We have great matchups against them.
B/R: What does the future hold for you? You will be a free agent at the end of the season. Putting money aside, do you want to stay in Boston long term?
Turner: If we were playing for free and everything, I would for sure want to be here long term. At the same time, you have to do what's best for your career and family. I want to keep having the opportunity to go and develop. I'm hitting my prime and things like that. I want to play at a high level and grow.
B/R: The projected jump in the salary cap this summer will surely be nice for your free agency as well, yes?
Turner: I've been blessed so far financially. I came out when I was a rookie and with my endorsement deals and everything, I was making close to eight figures a year. I had some of my worst times with basketball then. When my payment got reduced, I had some of my most fun times.
I think it goes back to making sure it's fun, man. Enjoying coming to work. Sometimes, the financials are not always going to do it for me. I want to win, have the opportunity to play and play a lot.
Brian Robb covers the Boston Celtics for Bleacher Report and CelticsHub. Follow him @CelticsHub on Twitter.
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