Evan Turner knows of a place where you can direct all of your complaints about his contract.
In an interview with NBC Sports Northwest’s Jason Quick that ran on Sunday, the Portland Trail Blazers swingman fired back at those labeling him overpaid.
“First off, let me say one thing: Everything I have done, I have earned,” said Turner. “My contract – that’s my bread, and I earned my bread. So, kiss my a–. Dead serious. Write that. I earned that (expletive) money.
“At the end of the day, winning matters,” the former No. 2 overall pick added. “Character matters. And what you are willing to sacrifice matters. I think my biggest steps and growth are being able to compartmentalize the things that really matter. I used to waste a lot of time worrying about things that don’t matter. Who gets credit and all that stuff … it doesn’t matter.”
Turner, 29, is currently in Year 2 of a four-year, $70 million contract with the Blazers. He holds averages of 8.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 25.6 minutes per game this season.
Indeed, Turner is far from a flashy player and does his damage primarily from the forgotten real estate of the midrange. But he does a little bit of everything well and is able to contribute for the 40-26 Blazers in a way that does not always show up on the box score. As for the matter of his contract though, even Turner has to admit that this is a much different tune than the one that he was singing when it was first offered.
