Turner Comments On Possible Lakers’ Trade

For months, there have been rumors that the Los Angeles Lakers have discussed trading Russell Westbrook to the Indiana Pacers. One of the players who would go to Los Angeles in a possible deal has addressed those reports.

The Lakers have reportedly rejected the Pacers’ asking price of Westbrook and their 2027 and 2029 first-round draft picks in exchange for Buddy Hield and Myles Turner. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski asked Turner if Los Angeles should include two first-round picks in such a deal.

“If I’m the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you’re in,” Turner said on “The Woj Pod.” “I know what I can provide to a team: my leadership, my shot blocking, my three-point ability and just my ability to make plays out there on the floor. I would 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.”

Turner acknowledged how valuable draft picks are in today’s NBA, along with his contract status. The center is in the final year of his deal, giving him the chance to sign elsewhere in free agency during the summer.

Turner is averaging 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.5 blocks in two games this season. The veteran has career averages of 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Turner is a career 34.9% 3-point shooter.

Hield is likely the most attractive part of the trade from the Lakers’ perspective. Los Angeles’ early-season struggles can mostly be attributed to historically poor shooting from 3-point range.

Hield is a career 39.9% shooter from behind the arc on 7.6 attempts per game. Through seven games this season, Hield is one of six players averaging at least 4.0 threes made per game, and he’s done so at a 44.6% clip.

The Lakers finally won their first game of the season Sunday, improving to 1-5. In the 121-110 win against the Denver Nuggets, Russell Westbrook had 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists off the bench. Westbrook was team-high plus-18.

It was Westbrook’s first game as the team’s sixth man and easily his best performance of the season. If the point guard continues to be an important contributor in his new role, the Lakers might prefer to hold onto Westbrook for the final season of his contract and keep their first-round picks.

Staying near the bottom of the standings could also result in Los Angeles refusing to meet Indiana’s asking price. The additions of Hield and Turner are unlikely to make the Lakers a championship contender.

Westbrook makes $47 million in the final year of his contract. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are each signed for two more years.