Lakers linked to Bucks’ $108M big man seen as ‘ideal partner’ for Deandre Ayton and Luka Doncic

Los Angeles Lakers Deandre Ayton

The Los Angeles Lakers are gearing up for the regular season, now just a couple of months away. It’s been an eventful summer for the team — they extended Luka Dončić and worked to satisfy LeBron James, who at one point was rumored to be considering a trade request. However, his goal remains clear: he wants to win another championship.

“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Rich Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”

If the Lakers want to be true contenders, they’ll likely need to make a trade. One name that has surfaced is Andrew Wiggins, but another intriguing option is lob threat Myles Turner.

“Deandre Ayton is at his best when he plays center, but the physical toll of doing so over an 82-game season remains a recurring concern. While Los Angeles has rotated through a carousel of backup bigs in recent years, none have provided the combination of rim protection, rebounding, and spacing that Myles Turner could bring. Long linked to the Lakers in trade rumors, Turner’s name resurfaces every season, and for good reason: he’s the archetype of the ideal Ayton partner,” ClutchPoints’ Rohan Brahmbhatt wrote.

While Turner could be an ideal fit alongside Ayton, the move would also benefit Dončić, who isn’t interested in waiting around for a slow rebuild.

“Dončić being just 26 gives the Lakers a far longer timeline to build a championship-contending team, but that doesn’t mean they can slow down and take their time. Dončić told Lakers president Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick in May that he’s not interested in taking the slow approach in building a contender,” CBS Sports’ Jasmyn Wimbish wrote.

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If the Lakers can pull off a trade for Turner, it would be a massive move for the franchise. The only problem? The Bucks just signed him, and Los Angeles has been unable to land him for years despite ongoing interest. Still, maybe this is the year the deal finally gets done.