Pretty much everybody has weighed in on the dilemma facing the Los Angeles Lakers. With LeBron James nearing the end of his prime and Russell Westbrook's $47 million salary serving as their only realistic path to contention, should they trade both of their available first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 in order to dig themselves out of the 1-5 hole they've dug for themselves thus far this season? Some say that the Lakers owe it to James to give him a stronger roster. Others believe that this roster is too broken for any single trade to fix. Fans, media and even Lakers executives have spoken on the debate.
The only voice we hadn't heard yet were the players involved in the rumors themselves, and even that changed on Monday when Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner appeared on the Woj Pod and addressed a long-rumored deal involving himself and teammate Buddy Hield heading to Los Angeles. While he refused to explicitly say the Lakers would trade for him, he certainly hinted at his belief that he and Hield could help them.
"If I'm the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you are in, and I know I can provide to a team my leadership, my shot blocking, my 3-point ability and just my ability to make plays out there on the floor. I would take a very long look at it," Turner said. "But as far as pulling the trigger, I get paid to shoot, not make these calls, so I couldn't answer that."
Turner acknowledged that his time with the Pacers may soon be coming to an end. He is a veteran on an expiring contract. They are a rebuilding team angling to land star French center Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft. A deal with the Lakers would allow Indiana to recoup value while sending him to a desirable destination.
For now, no trade appears imminent. The Lakers are not expected to make a deal until around Thanksgiving, when they have surveyed the league's landscape more thoroughly. By that point, the impact Turner and Hield could have would be dampened. But if you ask the Indiana center, he seems to believe that he'd be able to help the Lakers if they'd just pull the trigger.
