There was very little and very cautious optimism surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers when they started this NBA season. And despite them finally winning against the Denver Nuggets, the Lakers’ start has still been nothing short of shambolic. They lost their first 5 games despite having almost ideal health among their stars, and it doesn’t look like they will achieve much at all this season either. And a lot of this stems back to the decision to not trade Russell Westbrook.
The Lakers were reportedly happy to pull the trigger when a potential deal for Kyrie Irving was on the table, but that never materialized. And the second option was a trade involving Buddy Hield and Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers. That option is still very much present for the Lakers, and the fans want it, although they will have to part with their coveted picks to make it happen. And while the Lakers may not want that, Turner himself has now spoken up about it.
Myles Turner Publicly Says The Lakers Should Seriously Look At Trading For Buddy Hield And Him
Turner is still part of the Indiana Pacers organization, and it would seem he isn’t quite happy about it. He has suggested before that he would be interested in joining the Lakers, but now he has just come out and said it. Adrian Wojnarowski shared a clip of Turner saying that the Lakers should do the trade for him and Buddy Hield.
Should the Lakers give up the two picks? Full audio of Pacers center Myles Turner on The Woj Pod: https://t.co/yP00bwvnMZ pic.twitter.com/GZvSg9BLyp
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 31, 2022
“That’s such an intriguing question at that. I think personally, when you look at the business of the league, know the landscape of the league, you have to look out for your future right? And we all know picks are so valuable in this league. And someone like myself, I’m heading into the last year of my deal, and you wanna make sure that you’re getting a return for your assets.
“So if I’m the Lakers, I’d take a very hard look at this. I know what I can provide for a team, my leadership, my shot-blocking, my three-point ability, and just my ability to make plays out there on the floor. And I’d take a very long look at it. But as far as pulling the trigger, I get paid to shoot, not to make these calls. So I couldn’t answer that.”
Despite not saying it outright, it seems Turner has heavily suggested that the Lakers make this move. This is a bold statement and one that might even incur some disciplinary action from the league. But he’s not wrong, the Lakers could benefit from acquiring him and Hield, and it remains to be seen if they do so.
