Should the Lakers trade for Myles Turner?

There is no secret what the Lakers’ priority will be when free agency opens this week. It is the same thing it was last offseason. And it is the same thing Anthony Davis pined for before that.

Find a center.

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But as Luka Dončić has reportedly communicated, not just any center would suffice, he wants the Lakers to acquire an “A-list” center this summer.

Although the duo of Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes did a serviceable job shoring up the position, the playoffs proved there is an echelon of big needed to succeed. Finding an upgrade, however, may prove more difficult than previously expected.

Multiple potential targets have already changed teams or agreed to stay with their current organization. And while there is still hope the Lakers can land one of Walker Kessler or Jalen Duren, there are serious hurdles standing in their way.

If the team strikes out on those big fish as well, the Lakers may find themselves back at a familiar name — Myles Turner.

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Given how many times he’s been linked to Los Angeles over the years, Turner is essentially an honorary Laker at this point. But will this offseason finally be the time he officially wears purple and gold?

Let’s look at the pros and cons.

Pros

While Turner would not be any Lakers fans’ preferred outcome, there are potential positives in acquiring him worth examining.

Despite some slippage this past season, Turner still offers an intriguing skill set that may be even more desirable given who sits atop the Western Conference.

Turner remains one of the NBA’s premier floor-spacing bigs as more than half of his shots (54%) came from behind the arc last season. He not only converted them at a healthy rate (38%), but, compared to the Lakers’ roster last year, his 147 made 3’s would have finished second behind only Dončić.

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Beyond adding a much-needed new element to the Lakers’ offense, the ability to proficiently play five-out could be critical in postseason matchups with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder in particular, as it would force Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren away from the paint.

Although not the same defender as he…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lakers-trade-myles-turner-152400774.html

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Publish date : 2026-06-28 15:24:00

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