Pacers' Myles Turner Being Targeted for Trade by West Playoff Squad

29-year-old Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner has emerged as one of the NBA's most appealing role players.
Turner has long been one of the league's best shot blockers. He's a solid rim protector and finisher, but also a high-level 3-point shooter.
MYLES TURNER MY GOODNESS
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 5, 2025
pic.twitter.com/kbu8AZ5GVx
The Texas product defines what it is to be a modern, non-All-Star NBA center, and has been a critical component on multiple playoff iterations of the Pacers.
The 3-and-D big man could be a coveted prize at this year's February 6 trade deadline if Pacers general manager Kevin Pritchard opts to make him available. He's fairly athletic, and capable of even sticking with young star guards on occasional switches.
PACERS ACTIVATE THE CLAMPS IN THE BACKCOURT 🔒
— NBA (@NBA) January 30, 2025
They force the 8-second violation and Myles Turner was HYPED 😤 pic.twitter.com/ea6NP5i76W
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One club that could use his two-way aptitude is the Los Angeles Lakers, who possess multiple first round draft picks they could move in a deal. Per Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints, Los Angeles (who also reportedly targeted Turner pretty seriously during the 2022-23 season) has talked about Turner often, and could be amenable to offloading both their 2029 and 2031 first round selections in a possible deal.
"According to sources with knowledge of the situation, the Lakers have held extensive conversations about Turner internally and are weighing whether it makes sense to put both the first-rounders they can move this trade deadline on the table for him," Irwin writes.
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Turner will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and could have a robust market in that department, too. Irwin observes that adding Turner would require confidence from L.A. that it would want to retain him long-term.
"One real question for Los Angeles is whether Turner would re-sign this summer at a number they're comfortable with. If the answer to that question is yes, then maybe, just maybe, this is the year Rob Pelinka trades for him," Irwin writes of Lakers general manager and team vice president of basketball operations Pelinka.
Older, cheaper (in terms of draft equity) vets than Turner had previously been prioritized by L.A. heading towards the deadline, Irwin notes.
"Mere days ago, names like Jonas Valanciunas or Nikola Vucevic were more the Lakers' focus but, with the Chicago Bulls demanding a first-rounder for Vucevic and Washington asking for a protected first for Valanciunas, the Lakers have shifted their attention, sources say," Irwin writes.
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