Getty Images Myles Turner celebrates with Pacers teammate Domantas Sabonis.
The Los Angeles Lakers are in need of a solution at the center position and Pacers big man Myles Turner is being touted as the possible answer via trade.
The proposed trade comes via Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz, who has the Lakers dealing Kyle Kuzma a 2021 first-round pick (No. 22 overall) and a 2027 first-round pick (lottery-protected) for Turner.
Swartz notes that the Lakers’ first-round pick will be trade-eligible at the draft, but they can agree to a deal before then.
Turner would give the Lakers a tremendous rim protector, having led the NBA in blocks twice. And the Lakers made known their interest in Turner known previously.
He started 47 games for the Pacers last season, averaging 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and a league-high 3.4 blocks per game. Adding him to a lineup that already includes LeBron James and Anthony Davis would allow the Lakers to possibly improve on their already stingy defense.
The problem would be Turner’s massive salary, which is $18 million in each of the next two seasons. Kuzma’s three-year, $40 million extension would make him a prime bargaining chip in the deal, both as a younger player to build around and salary-wise.
The Pacers are reportedly interested in dealing Turner to move up in the draft, with the Warriors being touted as an option.
“The Pacers have been one of the more active teams, the name that I’ve heard involved in those conversations is Myles Turner,” O’Connor said on the NBA Mismatch podcast.
The Lakers could not offer the Pacers that opportunity, but Kuzma — who is just 26 — and a pair of first-round picks is quite the haul for Turner.
Lakers Have Interesting Situation at Center Position
Getty ImagesLakers big man Andre Drummond.
Turner could potentially shore up the center position for the Lakers, which could allow Anthony Davis to play more freely at power forward, his preferred position.
The Lakers have a lot to sort out when it comes to their big men. Marc Gasol is currently the only Laker slated to return, although Montrezl Harrell could decide to opt-in to his player option for next season. Andre Drummond is also a free agent, but has expressed that he’d like to return to LA next season, despite a tumultuous stinit last year. The Lakers would also like Drummond back, although that could change depending on how trade season and free agency works out.
“Dre was great for us,” Vogel said during his exit interview. “Let me start by saying that. We’re hopeful that he’s a Laker for a long time. He played well for us, and was a good culture fit. He fit in well with the guys and was very well-liked. We just … We said it all along: We were concerned about how much time we would have to build the cohesion necessary for the playoffs, and with AD being out and Bron really only getting two games with Drum before the playoffs began, we just didn’t have that time to build the cohesiveness that we wanted.”
Lakers Are Activley Shopping Kuzma
The Lakers have reportedly put Kuzma on the trade block — again — and have been actively shopping him to teams.
“They have literally offered Kyle Kuzma and KCP to almost every team I’ve talked to in the league,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said Sunday on the Woj & Lowe Free Agency Special.
One of the more notable trades that that Lakers have reportedly discussed this offseason sends Kuzma to the Kings for guard Buddy Hield. Kuzma started 32 of 68 games last season. He averaged 12.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, shooting just over 36% from 3-point land.
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