Shannon Sharpe not confident in Myles Turner being an LA Lakers player: “The last thing they need is another injured big man”

Shannon Sharpe doesn't believe the LA Lakers will make a deal to acquire the Indiana Pacers' big Myles Turner. Turner recently made a bold claim, saying the Lakers should spend their draft picks to trade for him. He believes his skillset as a shot blocker, 3-point shooter and playmaking is ideal for him to fit in with the team.

However, Sharpe outlined that the Lakers' current position could see them make a U-turn on the potential decision to sign Turner. During the latest episode of Fox Sports' debate show, "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," Sharpe said:

"They [Lakers] had all offseason. It's just hard for me to see them [making a move], especially now that they put Russ [Westbrook] in a new role he seems to be accepting of that role. He seems to be flourishing in that role."

Sharpe outlined that the Lakers may want to see if Russell Westbrook coming off the bench is sustainable. Sharpe gave Myles Turner his flowers as one of the premier shot blockers in the league and a respectable 3-point shooter. However, the former NFL star raised questions over Turner's injury problems:

"He's missed 65 games between 2020 and 2022. He's only played three games this season. So, the last thing they need is another injured big man. We deal with AD every time he jumps up and grabs his back. AD is 28 but he moves like he's 58."

Anthony Davis and LeBron James have been injury-prone over the past two seasons. The LA Lakers cannot afford to have another player dealing with injuries as frequently as Myles Turner. The Lakers also need efficient shooters, so they will have to think long and hard about how they wish to use their coveted 2027 and 2029 first-round picks.

LA Lakers desperately need a backup big as Anthony Davis continues to struggle with injuries

The LA Lakers don't have a reliable backup for Anthony Davis. AD has been dealing with a nagging back issue, which he has tweaked multiple times. His deputy Damian Jones hasn't been impactful, while Thomas Bryant is out injured.

The Lakers would preferably want a floor-spacing big who is a respectable interior defender and rebounder. Davis' body seems to be taking a toll already, with him playing the bulk of his minutes as a starting center.

There aren't many options in the market, though. Aside from Myles Turner, the Lakers have a buy-low option in DeMarcus Cousins. The former All-Star center has been impactful in limited minutes off the bench while representing teams like the LA Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets over the past two seasons.

It will be interesting to see how the LA Lakers tackle the lack of depth in the center position, as they might have to implement load management with Anthony Davis if his back injury bothers him more going forward.