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Lakers News: Longtime LA Trade Target Reportedly Available Ahead of Deadline

LA should probably jump on this.

Your Los Angeles Lakers' first trade piece acquired during the 2022-23 NBA season, combo forward Rui Hachimura (He's nominally a four but can play some three), had a pretty encouraging debut for LA last night in a 113-104 win against the visiting San Antonio Spurs

Will LA team vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka continue making moves to improve the team this season, even if that means sacrificing at least some future draft equity? He certainly should, given the fact that 38-year-old LeBron James's sustained greatness beyond this, his 20th NBA season, is certainly not guaranteed.

Although there have been conflicting reports surrounding the availability of 3-and-D center Myles Turner, who's been having a career year, his Indiana Pacers teammate Buddy Hield (another longtime trade target for the Lakers) apparently remains very much in play.

Sources inform Sam Amico of Hoops Wire that both Hield, an elite sharpshooting 6'4" shooting guard, and second-year swingman Chris Duarte could be made available for the right price.

LA, which continues to suffer from a deficit of three-point shooting and a glut of tiny guards soaking up minutes, could really use the surfaces of both players, especially given Duarte's upside as a perimeter defender. A first-round draft pick would be essential to completing any deal for Hield, Amico has been told. The Lakers almost shipped out Russell Westbrook's $47.1 million deal and multiple future draft picks for Hield and Turner over the summer, and while Amico hears Turner could be off the table, the possibility of Hield remains interesting.

Through 50 games this season, Hield is averaging 17.6 points on .448/.424/.873 shooting splits, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals. That 42.4% three-point shooting rate comes on a high-volume 9.0 attempts a night! He'd be a terrific fit for the Lakers' biggest weakness on offense.

Because the Pacers have so many players still on rookie scale contracts, they remain well under the cap. LA could trade Russell Westbrook's $47.1 million and one future first-round pick (in either 2027 or 2029), perhaps with mild lottery protections, to Indiana in exchange for Hield and Duarte, who together earn "just" $26.7 million.