Lakers Have Reportedly Contacted East Squad Multiple Times About Potential Trade

At 27-19, the 2024-25 Los Angeles Lakers currently occupy the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference, just a half game behind the 28-19 Denver Nuggets for homecourt advantage.

With All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the way under first-year head coach J.J. Redick, the Lakers don't quite look like their 2020 championship-era selves — having fully reformed the team's personnel beyond its two Hall of Famers.

The Lakers have improved defensively since acquiring 3-and-D swingman Dorian Finney-Smith in a December trade with the Brooklyn Nets, but they lost some supplemental bench playmaking in offloading D'Angelo Russell's expiring $18.7 million contract as part of the deal.

Beyond finding a Russell replacement, L.A. could still use some major frontcourt help behind James and Davis. Power forward/center Christian Wood has been hurt all year, while raw backup center Jaxson Hayes is more of a situational option — although he did notch a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double in 134-96 blowout against the Washington Wizards on Thursday.

The Lakers may be looking to remedy that sooner rather than later.

Per ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel, Los Angeles is apparently on the prowl for some center help to pair alongside 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, who's started at the position for the last three seasons. And that potential trade acquisition could be a high-caliber starter, meaning Davis would be shifted to a power forward position.

Apparently, the Lakers have been targeting 3-and-D Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner, having called the club multiple times in trade talks. The Chicago Bulls are apparently driving a hard bargain in trade talks for floor-spacing center Nikola Vucevic, which may have dissuaded L.A. from trying to make a deal.

"The Lakers have been the team to contact the Pacers the most about Turner, sources said, as talks surrounding the Bulls and Nikola Vucevic have cooled due to the asking price," Siegel writes.

Read More: Anthony Davis Demands Los Angeles Trade for 'Another Big' This Year

Lakers fans have long coveted Turner in a trade. He was floated as a potential fit during L.A.'s 2022-23 season, prior to team vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka's decision to jettison aging point guards