James is not playing again, which is good news for the Lakers, because the team will not take any risks with the 37-year-old James. As for how to recover the lost ground with a winning percentage of less than 50%, for the time being, Vogel and the two giants need thick eyebrows and Westbrook to hold on. If Westbrook still has a good performance, And Pelinka sent him away at the last minute, he still has a play, and Westbrook may really have to leave this time? Contrary to previous rumors, it is reported that the Lakers have not given up the possibility of trading Westbrook, and further negotiations with a team pursuing reconstruction are getting deeper and deeper.
This potential deal scenario shows that the Lakers finally did not consider putting the erratic Tucker on the trade list, but only locked in two former All-Star Players Westbrook and Howard, who degenerated into a blue-collar center, and will send a 2027 first-round pick. After such a long period of trading rumors, the Lakers seem to be the first time to combine trading chips in such a sincere way, and other worse-performing role players Jordan Jr. and Batesmore can stay on the team. Therefore, the Lakers are determined to win this time.
The Lakers are currently hoping the Pacers will trade turner, the top interior lineman that other teams are chasing wildly, and Craig and TJ McConnell will also be added to the swap list. The Pacers were considering the plan, but they didn't expect the Lakers to put Tucker on the trade list, which could leave the Pacers missing a backcourt core during the rebuilding phase. But the deal deadline is getting closer and closer, and as other teams' offensive moves against Turner wane, and the Lakers' trading mentality is so urgent, the feasibility of finally completing the deal is still quite high.
The Lakers' defense today basically relies only on thick eyebrows, and Turner's joining will definitely help the pressure on light thick eyebrows. Don't look at Turner's average of only 13 points per game this season, but he can still average 7 rebounds and close to 3 blocks per game, and this defensive efficiency can not be compared with other interior lines in the Lakers. Moreover, under Vogel's small ball system, Turner is not fixed in the fifth position, he and the thick eyebrows can be swapped at any time, which is very attractive to Turner.
Turner is the interior line that needs to have space, whether it is mobility or enthusiasm, is his playing characteristics, the Lakers can just provide these spaces for him, James's cooperation with thick eyebrows can also be copied in Turner. Although Turner is still injured, Pelinka generally doesn't care much about this, and Nunn, who is still recuperating, is an example. So, the Lakers are expected to speed up the three-for-three deal with the Pacers. When James officially returns, the Lakers should adjust to a big two model, but the interior line will usher in a big leap in strength.