JJ Reddick, Los Angeles Lakers
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JJ Reddick on the sideline during a game against the Timberwolves.
There isn’t a bigger need for the Los Angeles Lakers than fixing their center position. Some have suggested that the team could do that by signing Myles Turner, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent during the offseason. Turner has shown why he’s as wanted as he’ll be around the league during the playoffs for the Indiana Pacers, helping the team hold a lead against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
In a proposed trade idea from FanSided, the Lakers would land him in a sign-and-trade. Michael Saenz added that it won’t be easy for the Lakers to land him, and they’d have to move some salary around, but there could be a path for a potential deal with Turner.
“Finding their answer at the center position could be easier said than done. Even when Anthony Davis was still on the roster, the Lakers had difficulty finding a center that they could lean on and use as a defensive anchor. This summer, the opportunity will arise for the Lakers to finally put those questions to bed. And one strong option for Los Angeles revolves around a potential sign-and-trade move for Myles Turner.
“Turner is slated to hit the unrestricted free agency market this offseason… The Lakers would probably need to move some salary around, but there’s a reason to believe that they could manage a path toward a sign-and-trade for Turner. His ability to stretch defenses on the offensive end of the floor and then to protect the paint and operate as one of the best rim protectors in the league adds even more value to him on the defensive end of the floor,”he wrote.
Will Turner Even Be Available This Summer?
According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Los Angeles Lakers and other teams around the NBA might not have a chance to sign Turner during the offseason.
Windhorst added that teams are monitoring the situation, but the Indiana Pacers are hopeful to keep him around without having to move on for much of their depth, which is part of why they’re in the position they’re in.
The Lakers should be taking a page out of that book, but with how their team is constructed, it’s tough to ever be in a position like the Pacers.
“Rival teams remain skeptical at this point, having for generations seen the Pacers make decisions to avoid the tax penalty, as they monitor the Turner situation,”Windhorst wrote. “But internally the Pacers are hoping to be able to keep Turner without sacrificing their outstanding depth.”
Lakers Will Most Likely Have to Look Elsewhere
It’ll be interesting to see who the Los Angeles Lakers land on in free agency.
According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, he doesn’t expect Turner to be the guy. He added that Turner would be an excellent option for the Lakers, but he believes he’ll stay with the Indiana Pacers.
“Myles Turner, who’d be the best fit, will get more to stay with the Indiana Pacers,”Pincus wrote. “The Houston Rockets won’t lose Steven Adams to the Lakers at $5.7 million. … Andre Drummond is expected to pick up his $5 million player option with the Philadelphia 76ers.”
The Pacers certainly have something strong, and Turner has been a big part of that for many years. Moving on from him would be tough, but that will all come down to how things play out over the next few weeks.