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A new trade proposal would land the Los Angeles Lakers a star center for Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba.
Jovan Buha of The Athletic believes Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner is a player who “checks a lot of the boxes the Lakers need.” Buha proposed that the Lakers trade Beasley, Bamba and draft picks to the Pacers for Turner.
“The obvious candidate is Myles Turner, to whom the Lakers have been tied for years,” Buha wrote. “They could acquire the Pacers’ center by combining the salaries of Malik Beasley ($16.5 million) and Mo Bamba ($10.3 million), along with either their 2023 first-round pick (No. 17), a future first or multiple second-round picks.
“Turner checks a lot of the boxes the Lakers need. He’s one of the few 3-and-D centers in the league, which would allow Los Angeles to remain big defensively, with Turner and Anthony Davis patrolling the paint, while also maintaining their spacing offensively (Turner shot 37.3 percent on four 3-point attempts per game last season). There are some within the Lakers that remain skeptical of the way a Turner-Davis frontcourt fits in the playoffs.
“I understand their skepticism, but I think Turner and Davis are skilled and versatile enough to make the partnership work.”
Turner averaged 18.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.3 blocks for the Pacers this season. The two-time blocks champion shot 54.8% from the field and 37.3% from beyond the arc.
Myles Turner Wouldn’t Mind Playing for the Lakers
Turner signed a two-year, $58 million extension with the Pacers in January. However, the Texas product wouldn’t mind playing for the Lakers, sources told Heavy Sports.
Indiana won only 35 games this season. The franchise is building around youngsters Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin and could look to move some of its veterans this summer.
The Lakers almost acquired Turner and Buddy Hield last summer and this season for Russell Westbrook. According to an October report from Buha, Sam Amick and Shams Charania of The Athletic, Los Angeles almost sent Westbrook and unprotected first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 to Indiana for Turner and Hield before Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka determined that giving up two future draft picks was too steep of a cost to pay.
Turner has career averages of 13.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 2.3 blocks. He will have made over $140 million in his career once his current contract ends.
Naz Reid to the Lakers?
According to Peter Dewey of Lakers Daily, the Lakers would like to sign Naz Reid this offseason in unrestricted free agency.
“Minnesota Timberwolves big man Naz Reid could be an option for the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason in free agency,” Dewey wrote. “Sources tell Lakers Daily that the Lakers are interested in acquiring Reid, who will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Reid, 23, has spent the last four seasons with the Timberwolves and became a key part of their rotation in the 2022-23 season with Karl-Anthony Towns missing time due to a calf injury.”
Reid averaged 11.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists this season while shooting 53.7% from the floor, 34.6% from 3 and 67.7% from the free-throw line. He suffered a left wrist injury on March 29 against the Phoenix Suns and underwent season-ending surgery.
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