The Magic waived Turkoglu ahead of the January 7 deadline, ensuring the team only has to pay $6 million of the $12 million owed to the forward. He hasn't played a single game this season and just 64 games total the past three.
It isn't all Turkoglu's fault, though, as according to the Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins, a fractured cheekbone affected him during the 2011-12 season. He then broke his left hand in the first game of last season, then went on to serve a 20-game suspension for violating the NBA's anti-drug program.
Turkoglu was less than impressive when he did play last season, averaging 2.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 11 games for Orlando. He shot an unsightly 26.4 percent, shooting even worse from three-point range with a 04.2 percent clip (yes, you read that correctly).
The aforesaid information regarding Turkoglu hardly makes a convincing case for LA to sign the forward. Yet when taking into consideration what he went through, it's understandable that he had no chance to find a rhythm.
The Magic's roster was in a state of flux, and there was no real role of Turkoglu to play. Even this season tells the same story, as he's yet to play a single minute for Orlando. Yet if the Lakers were to sign him, they'd receive a different player than what's been demonstrated lately.
Turkoglu built his career on being a versatile forward, capable of scoring and passing with ease. He's currently 34 years old, which indicates he'd still be able to contribute in the right role. As a reserve small forward, Turkoglu would be able to come in and provide scoring, distributi...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
