Myles Turner Tells Lakers To "Take A Very Hard Look At" Trading For Him

It's not often you get to hear a player pitch himself to a team around a rumored trade proposal, but NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski got Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner to do just, asking him point blank about the much-ballyhooed trade rumor that's been making the rounds for months. 

Should the Los Angeles Lakers give up two first-round draft picks (2027, 2029) and Russell Westbrook to acquire Turner and his Pacers teammate Buddy Hield?

"So, if I'm the Lakers I'd take a very hard look at this. I know what I can provide for a team: my leadership, my shot-blocking, my 3-point ability and my ability to make plays out on the floor, and I'd take a very long look at it."

Despite his pitch, he wouldn't go all the way to suggest that they need to do it, now. "As far as pulling the trigger, you know, I get paid to shoot, not to make these calls, so I couldn't answer that, ha ha."

But the Lakers should take heed of something else that Turner said, as a caveat:

"When you look at the landscape of the league, you have to (think about) the future. We all know picks are valuable in the league, and someone like myself, I'm heading into the last year of my deal and you wanna make sure you're getting a return for your assets," said Turner. 

Perhaps what he was really suggesting is that if the Lakers want to pony up and extend him, then sure, let's go for it. 

Turner was coming off a spectacular performance over the weekend, as both he and Hield torched the Washington Wizards on Friday night. 

Photo:  Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports