Myles Turner issues come-and-get-me plea to Lakers after intense offseason trade rumors

Pacers center Myles Turner has issued a come-and-get me plea to the Lakers on NBA insider’s Adrian ‘Woj’ Wojnarowski’ podcast, just a day after the L.A. franchise finally won its first league game of the season against the Denver Nuggets to go 1-5 overall.

‘If I’m the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you’re in,’ the 2021 season leader in blocks said on ‘The Woj Pod’ on Monday. ‘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 take a very long look at it,’ he further stressed. ‘But as far as pulling the trigger, you know…I get to shoot, not making these calls, so I couldn’t answer that.’ 

Buddy Hield (left) and Myles Turner (far right) have both been subject to trade rumors to L.A.

L.A. has lost all of its games this season except one, as trade talks to blow up the team intensify

The worst kept secret in the offseason surrounded a trade involving Turner and his teammate, Buddy Hield, for Russell Westbrook, given the latter’s struggles on offense and poor chemistry with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. 

Talks stumbled at the number of first-draft picks included in the deal, as the Lakers did not want to include both of their future assets for 2027 and 2029. 

From a statistical standpoint, some would argue that Turner and Hield would gel better on the Lakers than Westbrook, who has recently taken up the role of coming off the bench to lead the second unit. 

This season, the Pacers’ big man has been averaging 16 points, 4.5 blocks per game and is shooting 37.5 percent from behind the arc though he is only shooting 38.1 percent overall from the field.

Questions remain over L.A.’s offense of LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis

He led the league last year with 3.4 blocks per game and has increased that average to 4.5 blocks in the only two games he’s played so far this season. 

On the other hand, Hield would provide some sharp shooting for the Lakers, as he has averaged 16 points on 43 percent overall shooting throughout his career. His 3-point average is also higher than most at 39.9 percent.

Turner’s defense would also allow Davis to play in his preferred power forward position. The Lakers’ No. 3 has suffered several injuries since being deployed as the team’s center, though Turner’s injury record does speak for itself after he missed 40 games through injury last season.

The Pacers are also at crossroads with its starting center, as Turner is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He is entering the last year of a four-year, $80million contract, of which $70million is guaranteed. 

The Lakers’ front office, spearheaded by Rob Pelinka and Jeannie Buss have until Feb. 10th to ponder the trade

‘I know that, coming into a contract year, you can’t lose me for anything,’ Turner said on ‘The Woj Pod’. ‘They [Indiana] can’t have the notion of me playing out this year, they don’t trade me, and […] let’s say free agency comes around, and I don’t resign here…let’s just be real that just bad on the organization them not making a power move with that.’

‘So if they do trade me and they do get assets for me coming along…they’re doing what’s best for them and just looking out for…doing what they’re paid to do. And there’s no hard feelings with that,’ he added. 

Surely, Turner’s comments won’t go down well with league officials, and could be suspended from multiple games, according to the NBA’s rules. 

The Lakers front office, consisting of Rob Pelinka and owner Jeannie Buss, have until February 10th, 2023, to act on the trade.