The Pacers center said that although the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers pulled out of trade negotiations shortly before training camp, which involved Russell Westbrook’s draft capital going to Indiana and Myles Turner getting his draft capital, it was a deal worth considering.
Turner responded to a question on ESPN’s “The Woj Pod”, in which he said that if he was the Lakers, he would take a hard look at the situation with the position he’s in. “I know what I can offer a team — my leadership and my shot-blocking ability, as well as my ability to make plays on the floor.
“And I take a very close look at it. However, as far as pulling the trigger goes, I get paid to take pictures. These calls are not my job, so I can’t answer your question.
To upgrade their current roster, the Lakers have been reluctant about including both their 2027 and 2029 future first-round picks. This was in the hopes of getting LeBron James back in contention for a championship.
Turner said, “We all know picks can be so valuable in this league and someone like me, I’m going into the last year on my deal and you want make sure that you get a return on your assets.”
Turner, a 26 year-old Indiana center, is in his eighth season. He has an average of 12.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Turner also shoots 34.9% from 3. Hield, who was a former client by Rob Pelinka, vice president of basketball operations of the Lakers, and general manager during Pelinka’s time as a player agent, connected on 43% his outside shots in seven seasons with New Orleans and Sacramento.
The Lakers are still at the bottom of the league for 3-point shooting, ranking 26.6%. This is despite their winning streak of 13-30 from the outside. Even though Davis is suffering lower back pain and prefers the 5., he has been assigned to the starting 5 with Damian Jones and Wenyen Gab as his only role players.
Wojnarowski earlier this month reported that the Lakers intend to reassess their roster after approximately 20 games. They could also look into trade negotiations around Thanksgiving.
Turner, who grew up in Indianapolis and played his entire professional career there, believes joining a marquee team such as the Lakers would appeal to him.
“I feel that here in the Midwest, we don’t get enough love. … Turner stated that it doesn’t get taken up at the national level. “You are subject to scrutiny out there at West. You’ll hear about your bad luck when you’re doing it. You will get lots of love if you’re doing well, especially with all the Lakers love.
“I believe that playing with LeBron is another thing that makes him attractive. He demands excellence, especially at this stage in his career. It’s one of those things. You have to perform when you go out on the court. People will expect you to perform and continue to build on the legacy the Lakers have left over the years.
Indiana is currently in the third to fourth season. The Lakers are currently 1-5.
