Lakers now have perfect Myles Turner plan B on trade market

Los Angeles Lakers fans have patiently been waiting for the team to make a trade this season and the front office finally fulfilled those wishes by trading for Rui Hachimura. While Hachimura is an excellent addition for the price, the hope is that this is just the beginning on the trade front for LA.

Two names that have long been tied to the Lakers are Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. However, after months of speculation, it does not seem likely that Los Angeles will land either player from the Indiana Pacers, who are much better this season than expected.

Instead, the Lakers have to pivot and consider other alternatives. Thanks to a recent report, the Lakers now have the perfect plan B for Turner in the trade market if the team wants to bring in another big to play next to Anthony Davis.

According to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, big man Mo Bamba has been made “readily available in a trade” by the Orlando Magic. A trade for Bamba is absolutely worth exploring for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Mo Bamba is the perfect Myles Turner plan B for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Mo Bamba is not quite what Myles Turner is but he could offer a nearly identical style to the Los Angeles Lakers and can realistically produce 80-90% of what Turner would have produced if he joined the purple and gold.

What makes Turner so intriguing as a trade target is his ability to essentially play the four on offense and the five on defense. His shooting stroke opens up the spacing and allows him to fit in nicely offensively next to Anthony Davis. Defensively, he would add a rim-protecting and rebounding presence to keep AD from having to bang down low as often as he is.

Bamba has similar aspects about his game and would fit next to Davis in a similar way. Mamba is shooting 38.4% from beyond the arc this season and is averaging 4.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 17.4 minutes per game. Again, he is not as valuable as Turner but the per-36 numbers are pretty similar.

Per 36 minutes, Mamba is averaging 15.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. Turner is averaging 20.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks (while shooting 39.1% from three). Mamba isn’t quite Turner but he is not as far off as you would think.

Mamba is only 24 and he has another non-guaranteed year under contract for a reasonable price. With his style of play and youth on his side, he is a very reasonable trade target for the Lakers that can help this season as well as become a long-term contributor to the team.

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After seeing the Lakers pull off a savvy trade for Hachimura, don’t be surprised if the team pulls off another savvy trade for a recent lottery pick in Mamba.