The LA Clippers Should Target Myles Turner in a Trade

In an offseason marked by change for the LA Clippers, one of the players they should target in the trade market is Myles Turner.

It’s upheaval season for the LA Clippers. After firing head coach Doc Rivers, it’s come out that Ballmer might not be done with the dramatic changes.

We covered the possibility that Doc’s departure could mean goodbye for some players. If the Clippers decide to be active players in the trade market, one piece they should try to target is Myles Turner.

In a piece for The Athletic (subscription required), Jared Weiss revealed some sourced rumors of Myles Turner’s desire to leave the Pacers. The young big man would fit nicely on the Clippers; he plays defense well and shoots the three at a good level for a center (34% on 4 a game).

He’s one of the league best shot blockers but has never been quite the rebounder you would hope for. That said, at 24 years old, there’s every reason to hope that a new coach could get some extra rebounding out of the big man.

On offense, he’s a low usage player who won’t be demanding a ton of touches each night – his usage percentage is roughly equivalent to Ivica Zubac‘s, and nobody accuses Zu of being a ball hog.

The question, of course, is how he would fit in the rotations, especially with Zubac at center. We probably wouldn’t want to play the two together much, if at all, so the matter of minutes would come into play. It is interesting to note that last year, Zu played 18.4 minutes per game and Turner played 29.5. That’s 47.9 minutes per game between the two of them.

Maybe that would be the answer – care less about who gets the starting nod, and just make sure that a minute doesn’t go by without one of Zu and Turner on the floor. Make sure each guy gets some run with the starters. No matter what, I think Zu and Turner could coexist on the team, and our next coach could figure that out, and we could have a defensive 7 footer on the floor at all times.

The question is, how would the team get him? He’s making $18 Million, so Patrick Beverley would probably have to be the starting point. Patrick Beverley and Landry Shamet work, money-wise. Is that enough for the Pacers? Alternatively, the team could use a Montrezl Harrell sign and trade, if he ends up leaving, to build up a couple of assets to help in this trade.

If Myles Turner really does request a trade, I think the Clippers could seriously improve themselves by making a play for him. I trust in this front office to get the deal done if they think it’s for the best.