Getty Lakers' Rob Pelinka and Darvin Ham
A two-time blocks champion is open to getting traded to the Los Angeles Lakers this summer.
According to a July 9 report from Heavy’s Sean Deveney, Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner “would be open” to a trade to the Lakers, who missed the playoffs last season.
“Turner, for his part, has been open to a trade out of Indiana going back two years, and he was expecting to be dealt at last season’s deadline instead of Sabonis,” Deveney reported. “A source with knowledge of the situation told Heavy.com, ‘Of course he would be open to a trade to the Lakers.’
“The Lakers have long held an interest in Turner, but have lacked the assets to acquire him. With Indiana seeking to retool the roster and send away veterans for draft picks, though, L.A. is in much better position to get both him and Hield. Turner is in the final year of his contract at $17.5 million, and Hield has two years remaining, at $20.5 million this year and $18.5 million next year.”
Turner is one of the top defensive players in the NBA. He’s a two-time blocks champion and has improved his offensive game over the years. The 26-year-old Texas product has career averages of 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 2.3 blocks while shooting 48.9% from the field, 34.9% from beyond the arc and 76.8% from the free-throw line.
Lakers Interested in Turner & Buddy Hield
Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported on the July 8 episode of “The Athletic NBA Show” that some members of the Lakers want to acquire Turner and Buddy Hield from the Pacers instead of Kyrie Irving. According to a July 7 report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Irving wants to get traded to Los Angeles.
Kevin Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, so Lakers superstar LeBron James wants Los Angeles to trade for Irving, who was teammates with James on the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2014-15 to 2016-17.
“With Kyrie, I know he wants to be in LA,” Buha said. “I know LeBron wants him in LA. He’s been behind the scenes putting some pressure. I don’t want to get too into it, but I think the Jeanie Buss tweet had something to do with some of the stuff that’s been going on behind the scenes. I think there’s a slight divide right now where LeBron wants Kyrie and some people internally might prefer a Myles Turner, Buddy Hield type deal.”
The Lakers nearly acquired Hield from the Sacramento Kings last summer. However, the franchise chose to trade for Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards instead. Hield, 29, signed a four-year, $94 million contract with the Kings in October 2019, but Sacramento traded the sharpshooter to the Pacers in February. Hield will make $20.5 million next season and $18.6 million in 2023-24.
Turner appeared in only 42 games for the Pacers last season because of a left foot stress reaction. The big man will make $17.5 million next season in the final year of his contract. Turner signed a four-year, $80 million deal with the Pacers in October 2018.
Westbrook Would Be Included in Pacers or Nets Deal
Westbrook would be included in the Pacers or Nets deal, according to a July 9 report from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. The nine-time All-Star was second in the league in turnovers last season and his effective field goal percentage of 47.6% was sixth-worst in the NBA.
James and Westbrook were at the Lakers’ Summer League game in Las Vegas on July 8. However, the stars didn’t sit next to each other or say hello.
“With the Lakers engaged in trade talks with the Brooklyn Nets and the Indiana Pacers in the last week — with sources telling ESPN that both scenarios involve sending Westbrook out — the positioning of James and Westbrook was notable,” McMenamin reported. “Several other Lakers players in attendance — Talen Horton-Tucker, Wenyen Gabriel and Thomas Bryant — made their way to James. But James and Westbrook stayed in their respective corners, with Westbrook exiting at halftime out of one tunnel and James leaving after the third quarter out of another.”
Westbrook picked up his $47.1 million player option with the Lakers for next season. However, Los Angeles is still interested in trading the one-time MVP.