Getty Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner.
The Los Angeles Lakers finally pulled off a win to go to 1-5 with a 121-110 win over the Denver Nuggets. It was the first great performance the team has put together this season and the hope is that they can build off of it. The team has been entrenched in trade rumors all year surrounding Russell Westbrook but he played great off the bench, scoring 18 points on 50% shooting.
The most popular trade the Lakers have been linked to involves Indiana Pacers’ guard Buddy Hield and center Myles Turner for Westbrook. Indiana is likely willing to do the deal if Los Angeles gives up their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. The Lakers have been apprehensive to do so. For his part, Turner believes that it’d be a worthwhile deal for the team. He got surprisingly honest about how the Lakers should trade for him.
“If I’m the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you’re in,” Turner said on “The Woj Pod.” “I know what I can provide for a team.”
Should the Lakers give up the two picks? Full audio of Pacers center Myles Turner on The Woj Pod: t.co/yP00bwvnMZ
Turner Addresses Why He Wants to Play out West
Centers don’t get as much love in the NBA these days but Turner is one of the better ones. He’s not a huge scorer but he’s one of the best shot blockers in the league. He led the NBA in shot blocks per game in each of the last two seasons. Adding him would alleviate the need for Anthony Davis to play center and they’d form a dynamic shot-blocking duo.
Turner believes that his talents are being wasted in the Midwest. He thinks that Los Angeles would provide him with a better platform and the Lakers are extra appealing due to their history.
“Yes, [it’s appealing]. Just playing in the bigger market, I just feel like here in the Midwest we don’t get the love that I think we deserve,” Turner said. “It doesn’t get taken on the national level. You are under the microscope out there at the West, when you are doing bad you going to hear about it. When you are doing great you are going to get a lot of love, especially with the love that Lakers get. I think that another aspect is playing with greatness and playing under LeBron, I feel like he demands certain level of excellency, especially at this point of his career. It’s just one of those things when you are out there, you gotta perform. People are going expect you to go out there and hold on to that legacy that Lakers have built over the years.”
Will Lakers Eventually Cave?
If the Pacers were willing to take Westbrook and one first-round pick, this trade may have already happened. However, they’ve remained steadfast in trying to get everything they can from the Lakers. As the season goes on, Indiana may loosen up their stance as they try to get something for Turner before he leaves in free agency when the year is over.
The Lakers could also cave if they keep losing more often than they win. Having Westbrook come off the bench has been successful so far but it remains to be seen if it can be sustainable. If the Lakers go on another long losing streak, then they might have no choice but to give the Pacers what they want.