The Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers have been mentioned as potential trade partners from basically the moment the offseason began. The rumored trade would see L.A. acquire the duo of Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, while the Pacers would get the Lakers’ draft picks in 2027 and 2029 back, along with Russell Westbrook to make the numbers work.
Every time this trade gets kicked around, a report follows it and says that it’s not going to come to fruition. Well guess what, folks: The rumors are back, and the exact thing that has happened every other time this has popped up during the offseason happened again.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that the two teams discussed a Hield and Turner to Los Angeles trade earlier this week, but the Lakers view giving up both of those unprotected first-round picks as too steep of a price to pay.
The Lakers and Pacers engaged in trade conversations this week per @ShamsCharania.
Los Angeles was unwilling to part with two unprotected first-round picks for any deal involving Buddy Hield or Myles Turner.
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“The Pacers demand for two first-round picks has not changed throughout the summer for any deal that includes Buddy Hield and Myles Turner,” Charania said before noting that the Pacers’ general manager, Chad Buchanan, said on Wednesday that Turner won’t be traded before the season starts. “That two first-round pick price is just not appealing for the Lakers. And right now, they’re gonna be very prudent, I think, in their approach that they’re gonna take coming into this season.”
Charania went on to say that the team has “a long runway” to figure out what to make of Westbrook’s future.
