If Giannis Antetokounmpo ends up officially requesting a trade away from the Milwaukee Bucks, it could give the Los Angeles Lakers the chance to trade for Myles Turner. Though it wouldn’t be a perfect fit, playing next to Luka Doncic could allow Turner to be the best version of himself.
When the Indiana Pacers made the NBA Finals, Turner was playing next to one of the best playmakers in the league. Playing next to Doncic would give him that opportunity once again. Plus, if Turner can lean into his rolling abilities, he could be both a lob and a pop threat for Doncic to play with.
And that could be a fun tool for Doncic (and JJ Redick) to play with.
Lakers should consider Myles Turner trade if Giannis wants out
Turner signed with the Bucks this summer in hopes of helping Antetokounmpo gun for a championship. But so far this season, the Bucks have been very far from that goal.
Injuries have plagued them in the early goings, and to make matters worse, it now seems somewhat inevitable that Antetokounmpo will end up requesting a trade away from the organization.
If that becomes the case, then the Bucks would likely decide to sell off other pieces of their roster, including Turner. That would give the Lakers a chance to strike.
Here’s an outline of a potential trade the Lakers could offer:
Lakers receive: Myles Turner, Andre Jackson Jr.
Bucks receive: Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber, First-round pick
The biggest downside to trading for Turner is that he’s on a long-term contract. But even that could be a good or a bad thing. If he ends up being a good fit with the rest of the roster, it’s great. But if it doesn’t work out, it’s tough.
Even then, however, the Lakers could use his contract to trade for someone else by utilizing Turner’s contract. It wouldn’t be ideal, but it would be possible.
In the short term, the Lakers would diversify their center position. They would add a three-point threat at the five who is also capable of protecting the rim well.
The Bucks would add a first-round pick to their draft cabinet, take a chance on Dalton Knecht, and get out of Turner’s contract a couple of years early.
Bringing Turner on board could give Doncic some nice options to play with at the center position moving forward. If Antetokounmpo does end up getting traded, this could be a very intriguing idea for the Lakers to consider.