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Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers is now drawing a lot of attention across different teams in the league. Based on a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic, four teams are interested in signing Turner.
Caris LeVert and Domantas Sabonis are also probable options for the Pacers to move forward and focus on rebuilding.
Among the possible suitors are frontrunners the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks. The LA Lakers and Charlotte Hornets have shown interest as well.
Myles Turner is one of the strongest defensive centers in the league today, averaging a league-leading 2.9 blocks per game. The Indiana Pacers have been open to trading him for a while now, owing to his inconsistency on the offensive end of the floor. Having played 39 games in the current season, Turner is averaging 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds; which is something the Pacers are clearly not very happy about.
The Indiana Pacers placed 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 15-25 record. They have won only three of their last ten games and are now focused on the future. Myles Turner being off-loaded gives them room to build their team around Chris Durate and a younger group of players.
NBA Trade Rumors: Which team will benefit the most from a Myles Turner trade?
The four teams that have shown interest could all use a strong defensive presence in the paint. Turner is one of the best rim protectors in the league, leading the league in three out of his seven seasons; all with the Indiana Pacers.
The Dallas Mavericks placed 5th in the Western Conference standings with a 22-18 record. Kristaps Porzingis is having a strong season, averaging 20.6 points, eight rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 26 games so far. The Mavericks will probably consider getting Turner as a back-up, considering Porzingis is very injury prone.
The New York Knicks have struggled to find consistency after a surprisingly good run late in the 2020-21 season. Over the first 40 games in the current season, they’ve won only 19, sitting in 11th spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
The New York Knicks could really benefit from a defensive center like Turner as they are a disappointing 19th in defensive ratings, with a rating of 109.9.
LeBron James of the LA Lakers has played most of his games in center position since Anthony Davis’ injury. Apart from LeBron, the Lakers’ roster also consists of two more big-men – Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan. Jordan could be one of the moving pieces in consideration for a Turner swap. But the Lakers need more than just defense at the moment, making Jerami Grant of the Detroit Pistons a better option.
The Charlotte Hornets are currently 8th in the Eastern Conference standings, on a two-game winning streak. Mason Plumlee has played as the starting center, averaging 6.5 points and 7.1 rebounds in 31 games.
The pairing of LaMelo Ball and Myles Turner sounds exciting, as Ball could help elevate Turner’s offensive game. At the same time, the Hornets’ defensive rating of 114.2, which is ranked 27th in the league, can see some much-needed improvement.
Guess the Lakers players!
