Myles Turner sends loud, emphatic statement to Lakers
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a horrible start this season. Los Angeles is 2-8 through 10 games and if it was not for Dyson Daniels missing two free throws late in the fourth quarter (and a miracle Matt Ryan three) then this team would be 1-9.
If the Lakers want any chance of making a run and contending this season then there is going to have to be some kind of change. With how well Russell Westbrook is playing, trading him might be off the table at this point in time. However, the team can still make improvements without moving Russ.
That includes making a trade for Myles Turner, who has long been tied to Los Angeles. Turner added fuel to the rumors last week with his comments and now he is sending a statement on the court as well.
Matched up against the New Orleans Pelicans, Turner looked like the Big Easy version of Anthony Davis, dominating the game on both ends of the floor en route to a Pacers win. Turner finished with 37 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and shot 4/7 from downtown.
https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1589799601271635968
Turner also recorded his 1,000 block in the game, which is a firm reminder to the Lakers that he is one of the best rim protectors in the entire sport.
The Los Angeles Lakers can trade for Myles Turner without including Russell Westbrook.
A Westbrook trade is not completely off the table but if the team is looking to keep Russ in town for now they could put together a different package for Turner. Los Angeles can put Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn together to make the money work for Turner.
That is obviously not enough value for the Pacers, so the Lakers would likely have to include Max Christie and some sort of draft capital. The Pacers will ask for one of the Lakers’ unprotected first-round picks but no other team is sending that for Turner, and without Westbrook, LA might be able to do it without that.
Instead, the Lakers could offer one of those picks and protect it in the top 10 or they could offer a 2028 pick swap. Indiana still gets a pick but the Lakers hold onto those 2027 and 2029 picks in case another situation like this year happens where they are near the bottom of the league with a generational prospect.
This absolutely should be something that the Lakers look into. Turner alone is not going to turn this team into a contender but he is such a perfect fit alongside AD. Turner allows Davis to play center on the offensive end without having to be a five on defense, something that AD has pushed back on.
He adds size, rim protection and shot-blocking. It also allows the Lakers to give him some run in Los Angeles this season before potentially signing him next summer. This allows the Lakers to fully evaluate the fit with Turner and go from there.