Trading for Myles Turner Still Makes Sense for Clippers in Post-Kawhi Leonard Era

It's time for the Los Angeles Clippers to focus on the on-court product in the 2026-27 season. Things will undoubtedly be more challenging now that the league has dealt a very harsh punishment to the organization, but the Clippers have no choice but to focus on the task at hand. With Ty Lue in charge and a talented roster that includes several impactful veterans, the Clippers will still try to be as competitive as they can be next season. So far, there seems to be no indication that the Clippers will be selling off to acquire future assets. Since they don't control their own 2027 first-round pick anyway, the Clippers can try to strike a fine balance between being competitive in the short run and amassing draft capital. One of the ways they can do that is through a trade for Myles Turner. The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly explored trading Turner this summer but haven't "found a taker", per ESPN's Ben Golliver. There could be a deal where the Clippers end up with Turner while adding more future assets. The reason there are no teams interested in Turner is not his on-court play. It's his three-year contract that will pay him an average of almost $28 million per season. That is not a team-friendly deal, to be sure, but that is also why the Clippers could acquire him while being compensated to do so. Turner would help the Clippers a ton. The 30-year-old center would start for the Clippers, who have one of the worst center rotations in the league. Even though Turner isn't the player he was earlier in his career, he still possesses a unique combination of floor-spacing and rim protection. He is a similar player to Brook Lopez, just younger, more mobile, and more athletic. There are different combinations of players the Clippers can use in a trade to acquire Turner. The more valuable the players in the trade package, the better assets the Clippers can get back from the Bucks in addition to Turner. A Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn, Brook Lopez package may be something the Bucks are looking for. That's three solid rotation players, all on expiring deals. The Bucks could be willing to attach a first-round pick next to Turner for that type of package. Alternatively, players like Max Strus and Isaiah Jackson could also be included in the deal. If the Bucks don't want to give up a draft pick, they could include one of their intriguing young players, like Kasparas Jakucionis, Kel'el Ware, or Ousmane Dieng. The details of the trade can change, but there may be a framework here that makes sense for both teams. The Clippers should be interested in acquiring good players on bad contracts. This would allow them to add future assets while still being able to have solid teams in the present. Turner fits that mold. This article first appeared on Los Angeles Clippers on SI and was syndicated with permission.