The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked with a string of big men ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline. JJ Redick\u2019s team is short on depth at the center position.<\/p>\n
Both Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood have failed to prove they can be long-term solutions off the bench.<\/p>\n
As such, there\u2019s a chance we see the Lakers make a move to add some depth in the middle of the court. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, a potential dream trade target could be available.<\/p>\n
Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers is an unrestricted free agent in the summer.<\/p>\n
The Pacers may not be willing to match his rumored contract demands of $30 million.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s specifically just a basic contract situation of he is about to be an unrestricted free agent and he\u2019s going to want $30-plus million and I\u2019ve heard Indiana is not sure if they want to give him $30-plus million,\u201d Buha said via his \u2018Buha\u2019s Block Podcast.\u2019 \u201cIf they don\u2019t, then from an asset management perspective, it makes sense to trade him and get something back for him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Given the Lakers desire for another center, Turner could fit the bill. He could slot next to Anthony Davis while ensuring the Lakers\u2019 floor spacing is affected.<\/p>\n Turner is shooting 39.3% from deep this season. He would thrive as a rim-protecting, five-out three-point threat<\/p>\n . Turner would be a strong fit for the Lakers, should they show interest in acquiring him. The fact that Indiana is on the fence about giving him another deal, would likely make negotiations far easier for both sides.<\/p>\n Lakers\u2019 Anthony Davis Wants Another Big<\/strong><\/p>\n On Jan. 24, Davis told ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania that the Lakers needed to add another big man.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we need another big,\u201d Davis told Charania. \u201cI feel like I\u2019ve always been at my best when I\u2019ve been the 4, having a big out there. We know it worked when we won a championship with JaVale [McGee] and Dwight [Howard] at the 5 and I\u2019m at the 4.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The last time the Lakers won a championship, Davis was sharing the court with Dwight Howard. Playing Davis at the four unlocks a lot of his defensive versatility.<\/p>\n It also empowers him to be more aggressive on both sides of the floor. Turner would fit Redick\u2019s system while being a high-level partner for Davis.<\/p>\n Lakers Unlikely to Trade For Veteran Bigs<\/strong><\/p>\n In recent weeks, the Lakers have been linked to Jakob Poeltl and Nikola Vucevic. The two veteran bigs are reportedly available on the trade market.<\/p>\n However, according to Marc Stein, the Lakers front office doesn\u2019t view either center as a viable trade option.<\/p>\n \u201cLeague sources stressed over the weekend that the Lakers are not expected to join the hunt for either Vu\u010devi\u0107 or Toronto\u2019s Jakob Poeltl,\u201d Stein reported. \u201c\u2026Adding Vu\u010devi\u0107 would be very pricey for the Lakers beyond Chicago\u2019s desire to extract a first-round pick in return; absorbing the $21.5 million owed to Vu\u010devi\u0107 in 2025-26 is daunting financially for a team that projects to have Davis and LeBron James taking up two-thirds of next season\u2019s salary cap and has strained to stay below the second apron this season.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cPoeltl, meanwhile, is a similar case, with a $19.5 million salary looming in both 2025-26 and 2026-27 (player option).\u201d<\/p>\n Turner is earning $19.9 million this season. The Lakers may view his cap hit as a potential problem.<\/p>\n However, his upside as a long-term fit next to Davis, and his clear fit within the roster, could be enough to persuade Rob Pelinka to get a deal over the line.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked with a string of big men ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline. JJ Redick\u2019s team is short on depth… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":29394,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\n