After the away loss to the Heat, the Lakers' problems were once again brought to the table by the media and fans, coupled with the current 50% win rate and the eighth ranking in the West, which made the team more shadowed. Almost everyone knows that this team is not a small problem, and the window of the trade deadline will be their only chance to get out of the predicament. However, in this case, the Lakers' reinforcement operations have been repeatedly frustrated.
According to the previous report of Mark Stein, the Lakers have clearly expressed interest in Pistons forward Grant, and gave the first round of the 2027 offer of Nunn + Tucker + 2027, not only met with the Pistons ruthlessly rejected, even Grant, who was the target of the reinforcement, also showed no mercy and refused to join; and just today, according to Bleacher Report reporter Eric Pincus, the Lakers' other signing target, Miles Turner, was also targeted by the Hornets.
Due to Davis's injury and howard and Jordan Jr.'s poor form, the Lakers' interior line has been tested in this season's game, and in the case of no one available, Vogel can only use James to make a cameo in the No. 5 position, although James played well, but after all, there is a gap with the real No. 5 position. In this case, if Turner can be introduced, it will increase their interior height and provide the ability to protect the rim in the box; Turner has a 33.2% shooting rate on the outside this season, averaging 1.5 three-pointers per game, and his range also has a lot of appeal to the Lakers.
However, the Hornets may have stepped in the middle and robbed the 25-year-old inside tower halfway through. According to Eric Pincus, although the Hornets' current record of 26 wins and 21 losses is amazing, if they want to go further in the playoffs, it is not enough to rely on Plumlee to support the inside line, and if they are willing to send Hayward + Washington + Plumley chips, it may arouse the interest of the Pacers.
Hayward, 31, has played in 41 games for the Hornets this season, averaging 33 minutes per game, contributing 17.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists, shooting 39.7% from three-point range. Although he has proven himself to still have a lot of energy on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends, Bridges has made great strides this season and the team has also introduced Oubre, which may make them willing to send him away in exchange for an interior line that can hold up the box.
It is worth mentioning that Hayward played for Butler University in Indiana during college, and he has many local fans, for Hayward, joining the Pacers is a long-cherished wish of his own.
It is foreseeable that once the Hornets join halfway, the Lakers will almost be out of the game with three strikes, because the chips in their hands are really limited, and the offer of Tucker + Nunn + draft picks, compared with Hayward and Washington, really can't get a hand.