Talks between Lakers-Pacers for trade involving Russell Westbrook, Myles Turner and Buddy Hield ‘currently dead’

Dave McMenamin: It’s pretty darn clear that Lebron James has seen enough and he has no interest in going another year with Russell Westbrook as his teammate. -via ESPN / July 22, 2022

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: Russell Westbrook coming off the bench with the Dallas Mavs would make sense IF he were bought out by the Los Angeles Lakers but it “would ultimately be Jason Kidd’s call” a highly respected league fixture tells @BallySports by phone. -via Twitter / July 22, 2022

Darvin Ham: We’ve all had years where we could have done better, had better performances or circumstances didn’t quite go our way. And I think just everyone knows what type of year the Lakers went through last year. And it wasn’t all Russell Westbrook’s fault. When you go back and look at the games missed by LeBron James at different segments add a different set. Those three (Westbrook, James and Anthony Davis) only got to play a total of 22 games together. You’re talking about an 82-game season. And so just the different various energy injuries with people within the lineup that were dependent upon within the rotation. Russ having to carry a load and you’re trying to go sign, G League guys, you got COVID, people being put in the protocol because of the COVID. So for all of this to be heaped on Russ, it’s kind of unfair, in a sense and unfair reality, to be quite honest. -via The Ringer / July 21, 2022

Talkin’ NBA: “Things have not moved in terms of the Brooklyn front [Kyrie for Russ]… There has been some talks reengaged between the Lakers and the Pacers that would center around Buddy Hield.” — Dave McMenamin #NBATwitter #LakeShow -via Twitter @_Talkin_NBA / July 20, 2022

Then, Monday morning on Get Up, Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Lakers aren’t just focusing on Irving, that talks between Brooklyn and L.A. are “not dead yet,” and that there’s a “good chance” Irving will be back with the Nets “to start the season if Kevin Durant is back in Brooklyn.” “I think the Lakers will make a deal, maybe more than one deal,” said Woj. “It may not be for Kyrie Irving, it may not be for an All-NBA player, an All-Star… players like Eric Gordon in Houston, Buddy Hield in Indiana, players like Patrick Beverly who came to the Jazz in a trade from Minnesota who are role players on winning teams. What is the price for those kinds of moves? They’re going to continue to be active on those things. -via NetsDaily / July 19, 2022

You can safely presume that Westbrook is aware of James’ stance. He surely knows, no matter what Ham says, that the other two starry prongs in last season’s ill-fated Big Three — James and Anthony Davis — are eager for a trade to materialize that essentially swaps Westbrook for Irving, even though both campaigned for the Lakers to acquire Westbrook from Washington last summer despite Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka’s advanced talks with Sacramento on a deal headlined by perimeter shooting specialist Buddy Hield. -via marcstein.substack.com / July 9, 2022

James Boyd: #Pacers center Myles Turner shares his all-time starting five: — Michael Jordan — LeBron James — Shaquille O’Neal — Magic Johnson — Larry Bird Who would be your all-time starting five? 🎥 via @WhistleSports pic.twitter.com/bpRfYAdi4l -via Twitter @RomeovilleKid / July 22, 2022

They had plenty of help. Dropping Dimes has an advisory board backed by big names in sports, media and basketball. Among them are Bob Costas, Reggie Miller, George McGinnis, Julius Erving, Myles Turner, Peter Vecsey and Bob Netolicky. “They all came together,” Tarter said. “It was kind of a labor of love.” -via USA Today Sports / July 16, 2022

James Boyd: Rick Carlisle calls Myles Turner “the best rim-protecting center on the planet” during the #Pacers broadcast. -via Twitter @RomeovilleKid / July 13, 2022