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In a March 30 piece titled “Hypothetical Lakers Trades to Boost Pursuit of 2024 NBA Title,” Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed that the Los Angeles Lakers trade Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Max Christie, Mo Bamba and a 2029 first-round pick to the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield.
“The Lakers were eyeballing Myles Turner and Buddy Hield last offseason, but they didn’t want to part with both of the future first-round picks they were allowed to trade,” Buckley wrote. “But what if one pick and some interesting young players would get it done? L.A. would have to pounce on that, right? Turner and Hield could effortlessly slot in a starting five with James, Davis and a re-signed Russell. That quintet has sufficient shooting and probably enough interior defense to plug most leaks from the perimeter. If the Lakers build a functional bench behind it, that’s a group that could count contention among its (very) best-case scenarios.
“The Pacers have to be prioritizing the future to accept this offer, but rebuilding around Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin should lead to something more interesting than their present. They’d have to view at least two of Jarred Vanderbilt, Max Christie and Mo Bamba as long-term keepers. The first-round pick would be the biggest draw. They could keep Beasley for his spacing or shop him for more assets.”
The Lakers and Pacers discussed a Russell Westbrook-Hield-Turner trade several times. According to an October 3 report from Jovan Buha, Sam Amick and Shams Charania of The Athletic, Los Angeles nearly sent Westbrook and unprotected first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 to Indiana for Turner and Hield in October before vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka determined that giving up two future draft picks was too steep of a price to pay.
The Lakers wound up trading Westbrook to the Utah Jazz at the trade deadline in a three-team deal involving the Minnesota Timberwolves. Los Angeles acquired Beasley and Vanderbilt from Utah and D’Angelo Russell from Minnesota.
The Lakers Might Run It Back Next Season
Buha told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype on March 16 that the Lakers might run it back next season, meaning the front office may bring the current core roster back.
“From what I’ve been told by my sources around the organization, they wanted to run this situation (current roster) back,” Buha said. “It’s looked good so far. They’ve won a lot of games. They’ve done a lot of winning without LeBron James. That’s something that’s kind of been under-discussed. The non-LeBron minutes were always an issue for the Lakers going back to his first year in LA and the championship season… This is my third season on the beat, and this is the best chemistry and vibes I’ve seen around the team.”
The Lakers are in ninth place in the Western Conference standings. They are 13-8 since the trade deadline. Los Angeles has six games left in the season, starting on March 31 against the Timberwolves.
Buckley Thinks the Lakers Should Have Acquired Buddy Hield & Myles Turner This Season
In a February 23 story called “Decisions the Lakers Should Already Regret from the Trade Deadline,” Buckley called out the Lakers for not acquiring Hield and Turner this season.
“Remember the oft-discussed deal-that-wasn’t between the Lakers and Indiana Pacers last summer? The one that would have sent Westbrook and the two first-round picks to Indy for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield? Are we sure the Lakers were wise for waiting to do these deals instead? Sure, they only had to give up one first (and even managed to put top-four protection on it—the best move of L.A.’s trade season), but the lower trade cost also meant a lesser trade return,” Buckley wrote. “Turner’s combination of shot-blocking and three-point shooting packs a heavier two-way punch than anything the Lakers landed at the deadline. Hield might be the best shooter in the league not named Stephen Curry; L.A. found some lasers, but it could have done better on that front, too.”
Turner will have made over $140 million in his career once his current contract expires, while Hield will have earned more than $103 million.