After acquiring backcourt depth in the 2026 NBA Draft—and adding some promising undrafted prospects—the Los Angeles Lakers now focus on adding established talent around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. One of the Lakers’ longtime trade targets is reportedly back on the block following the Eastern Conference shakeup surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Report: Longtime Lakers Trade Target Now ‘Readily Available’
Though the Lakers did not end up being a third team in the Giannis sweepstakes (despite speculation to the contrary), that doesn’t mean they’d be able to benefit after the fact. According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Milwaukee Bucks are fielding offers for veteran center Myles Turner, part of the ongoing fire sale in the 414.
“Turner is another player the Lakers have pursued in past trade talks, back when he was with the Indiana Pacers. The 30-year-old stretch big man signed a four-year, $108 million contract with the Bucks last offseason and ended up having his worst statistical year in quite some time, averaging just 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 38.3 percent from 3-point range.
With Giannis walking out the door, the Bucks are going through a complete roster overhaul and want to cut all of their long-term commitments, making Turner readily available for any team that would want to take on his contract. To this point, there haven’t been any strong indications that the Lakers want to do so, yet Turner still remains an option if they want to take on his deal to move off of Jarred Vanderbilt or Deandre Ayton.”
Should the Lakers Pursue Turner Again?
Despite the statistical down year, Turner remains a decent option for the purple and gold—that is, if they are unable to pry Jalen Duren from Detroit or Walker Kessler from Utah, two high-profile restricted free agents linked to the franchise for weeks. What Turner lacks as a lob threat, he makes up for in perimeter spacing and rim protection—not to mention his seven years of postseason experience, including pivotal contributions to the Pacers’ Finals run.
Earning $26.5 million this coming season, his contract may be easier to stomach as opposed to overpaying Duren or Kessler—who fit Doncic’s vision for a center but would still command max contracts in free agency.
While far from the perfect option and entering his 12th season in the league, exploring the idea of adding Turner may simply come out of necessity. Two other Lakers’ trade targets, Jarrett Allen or Daniel Gafford, may no longer be attainable this summer. And while the team has recently emerged as a “likely suitor” for Knicks backup Mitchell Robinson, his injury history and poor free-throw shooting (40.8%) may prevent him from being a quality starter in LA.
Mitchell Robinson would be an absolute home run for the Lakers.
As a backup. Hope we bear that in mind.
A center with durability issues (for those who cite Kessler, his ceiling is exponentially higher) and can be schemed out the game with his free throw shooting is not the…
— Richard Staple, BSN, RN🇯🇲 (@RichStapless) June 26, 2026
If the Lakers eventually decide to pivot to Turner, offering Jarred Vanderbilt and Deandre Ayton (player option) along with adequate draft compensation may be enough to turn the wheels on a potential deal. Vanderbilt, the team’s defensive-minded veteran, still has yet to make a dent on offense (4.4 PPG on 47.1% FG this season), making his expiring $12.4 million contract a vital asset for LA. Ayton, while relatively productive as the team’s starting big man, still left more to be desired in terms of his effort and energy. He has yet to opt in to his $8.1 million player option, though it may also be safe to end that experiment after one season.
This report suggests Myles Turner would be available to the Lakers if they’re willing to take his contract while dealing Vando. Package Ayton in the trade and it only costs about $7 mil of cap space.
It’s a solution if all else fails with Kessler, Duren, etc.
Would rather go… https://t.co/zpNlCY9i9j
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) June 27, 2026
The Last Word
With the Lakers’ options for frontcourt help growing increasingly thin, it may be worth pursuing Turner as plan B or C to younger, more athletic centers who fit the team’s needs and timeline. LA should still aggressively pursue Duren or Kessler as ideal complements to Doncic. But if those plans fall through, Myles Turner may be the most feasible upgrade in spite of the so-called “Lakers tax.”
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