Lakers Rumors: Pacers Would Trade Buddy Hield, Myles Turner for 2 Unprotected 1sts

The Los Angeles Lakers are interested in Buddy Hield and the Indiana Pacers are interested in Myles Turner.

Indiana would probably do a deal with the Lakers if they traded two first-round picks.

If I were a Buss or Pelinka, I'd lose sleep over the trade. My best guess is that the Pacers would do a deal if the Lakers called them and said they had two picks that were not protected.

Lowe said there was nothing in the works with the Pacers for Hield and Turner.

Lowe doesn't believe the Lakers are there. "For whatever reason, they don't seem to think that the Pacers package puts them in the championship inner circle and they're holding onto those picks unless they find a deal that they think gets them into that inner circle."

The Lakers were interested in Hield and Turner for a long time. The Purple and Gold were not interested in moving their first-round picks in exchange for the duo.

The Lakers would be willing to move those picks for the right player, such as Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving, who is now off the table with the return of Kevin Durant.

The Lakers don't want to give up their future. The team struggled during the 2020-21 campaign.

The Purple and Gold were interested in acquiring perimeter shooting depth this off-season, and Hield would give them a boost. He shot 36.6 percent from deep and is shooting 39.8 percent from beyond the arc over the course of his career.

Hield shot 40.6 percent from the floor last season.

Turner would be a great upgrade at center and playing him there would allow Anthony Davis to return to power forward. He averaged 12.9 points, 7.1 rebound, 1.0 assist, and 2.8 blocks while shooting 50.9 percent from the floor.

Turner is entering the final year of his contract in 2022-23, so it's possible the Lakers and Pacers could revisit negotiations. Hield is under contract through the year 24.

It seems like the Pacers don't want to make a deal unless they get both of L.A.'s first-round picks. The purple and gold might have to look at other options.