Former Los Angeles Lakers champion Rick Fox implied that he he wished the team had made a move with the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield.
Fox pointed out that Lakers star LeBron James is playing at such a high level that the team has a shot to win the NBA Finals in the 2022-23 season.
With @KingJames playing at his usual GOAT level even at 38 imagine if Myles Turner and @buddyhield were @Lakers 🤦🏽♂️we appreciate you Thomas Bryant 💪🏾 Lets Get @AntDavis23 backs and get this 2023🏆
— Rick Fox (@RickFox) January 8, 2023
While Fox may have wanted the Lakers to pursue Hield and Turner, the team may currently have a bit of a hard time doing so given Indiana’s success this season.
The Lakers reportedly could still make a move for Hield after Turner rebuffed an extension offer from Indiana, but it’s unclear if Los Angeles would be willing to part ways with the necessary draft capital to make that happen.
The Pacers have played very well to start the 2022-23 season, and they hold the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference entering Sunday’s action.
There’s no doubt that Hield and Turner would give the Lakers much more depth in their rotation, especially with Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves and Lonnie Walker IV currently sidelined due to injury.
However, the Lakers’ front office seems to be content with holding onto its unprotected first-round picks in the 2027 and 2029 NBA drafts, even though James may disagree with that decision.
Hield is an elite shooter who would be a great floor spacer for the Lakers this season. He’s currently averaging 17.9 points per game while shooting 42.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Turner, an elite shot-blocker, does it all down low for Indiana. He’s a free agent at the end of the 2022-23 season, but Turner is making the most of his contract year, averaging 16.7 points. 7.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 38.0 percent from 3-point range.
Fox, who won three championships with the Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, clearly seems to be in favor of making the most of James’ time with the franchise.
James is showing he’s still one of the league’s best players, averaging 29.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 51.0 percent from the field this season.
If the Pacers fall out of the playoff race in the East and are willing to deal Hield and Turner, the Lakers could be in the mix if the front office is willing to make the move.
For now, Los Angeles is looking to build on its five-game winning streak that has pulled it just 1.5 games out of the No. 6 seed in the West.
