On June 27 , according to a joint report by ClutchPoints and ESPN salary expert Bobby Marks, the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to complete an important reinforcement in the near future - signing Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner. Although it has not been officially announced yet, multiple sources have confirmed that the Lakers have taken the lead in the battle for Turner and have advantages in many aspects such as star attraction and commercial resources.

It is reported that Turner's contract renewal negotiations with the Pacers were progressing smoothly, but with the sudden Achilles tendon injury of the team's core player, Haliburton, Indiana's plan to retain Turner with a large sum of money has wavered. At the same time, Turner's performance in the just-concluded playoffs and finals was not as expected, which further affected the decision-making tendency of the Pacers management.

During the 2024-25 regular season, Turner's performance remained stable. He played 72 games for the Pacers , averaging 30.2 minutes per game, contributing 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocks. His overall shooting percentage was 48.1% , and his three-point shooting percentage was an excellent 39.6% , showing his all-around inside attributes of both rim protection and space opening. However, during the finals, Turner's state declined significantly, averaging only 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and his three-point shooting percentage dropped to 21.4% , which affected the team's inside competitiveness and exacerbated the Pacers' divergence in evaluating its future value.

The Pacers originally planned to offer Turner a contract extension with an annual salary of no less than $25 million, even at the risk of triggering the luxury tax for the first time, but considering his playoff performance and the team's future rebuilding direction, the plan has become conservative. According to ESPN salary analysis, the Lakers would prefer to keep Turner's annual salary below $25 million when signing him , in order to retain salary flexibility for subsequent signings.

In addition, the reinforcement plan led by Lakers General Manager Pelinka also values Turner's tactical value. After Davis' long-term center position caused controversy over load management, the Lakers urgently need a genuine center with rim protection, space shooting and pick-and-roll qualities. Turner is undoubtedly an ideal candidate.

It is not clear whether Turner will join as a completely free agent or complete the transfer through a " sign-and-trade " format. However, multiple sources revealed that the negotiations between the two sides have entered the substantive stage and the final details will be finalized after the club's World Cup schedule is over.

If the deal is completed, the Lakers will build a more balanced lineup with more height and offense and defense around James, Davis and Turner in the new season, and rekindle their hopes of winning the championship. For Turner, joining the Lakers not only means a further increase in market value, but also is expected to bring a more stable team positioning and a new stage of career development.