Myles Turner spent year after year surviving trade rumors and reported links to the Los Angeles Lakers just to remain with the Indiana Pacers. Turner then willingly chose his own next destination in 2025 free agency. That decision proved to be a disaster.
Turner joined the Milwaukee Bucks just in time to watch them fall apart at what most people will consider the beginning of the end for the Giannis Antetokounmpo era. With the Bucks breakup likely on its way, Bucks expert Dalton Sell believed Turner would end up as one of five players who could follow Giannis out of Milwaukee.
"Bucks jumped through so many hoops and risked their financial flexibility to acquire Myles Turner because they thought he'd fit with Giannis," Sell wrote. "... If Milwaukee acquired ... Kel'el Ware from Miami, it would be wise to hand him the keys to the center spot and try to get assets for Turner."
That thought is notable considering the Bucks were reportedly close to accepting the Miami Heat's offer before the trade deadline. Ware could still end up in a Milwaukee uniform in the future. When that happens, to Sell's point, Turner could be in search of new threads as well.
Myles Turner joining the Lakers could make sense for everyone
Turner had the worst year of his career since his rookie season in Milwaukee. Trading for the two-way center at the peak of his powers with the Pacers was always a challenge. Swooping in when his reputation is at an all-time low is a much easier road to travel for Rob Pelinka.
The Lakers could leverage their looming cap space and attach some added trade assets in the process to soak up the three remaining years on Turner's sizable contract after the 2025-26 season comes to an end. Milwaukee gets some financial relief back. Los Angeles gets a starting center.
Turner made a lot more sense for a version of the Lakers that was led by LeBron James, but there is still reason to believe the Bucks big man could operate well with Luka Doncic too.
The former Pacer was able to playoff off Tyrese Haliburton's playmaking comfortably in Indiana. Turner proved himself capable in both the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop. Executing that role beside Doncic should not be a much more difficult task.
Turner is also a solid rim defender, something the Lakers are currently lacking among their bigs. Having that type of deterring force behind Doncic has gone a long way in the past.
When the Lakers were prioritizing their financial flexibility, these type of moves were the less spoken about ways in which Pelinka could utilize the cap space that had nothing to do with free agents. If Los Angeles still wants to see Turner in purple and gold, it should be doable.
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