In the course of the 2021 offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers traded Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and a first-round draft choose Wizards of Washington for Russell Westbrook. Whereas it was maybe thought {that a} ball guard as quick as Westbrook would assist LeBron James age extra gracefully, the commerce was universally thought-about a catastrophe.
Maybe it wasn’t as a result of Westbrook’s lack of ability to slot in, however quite the worth the Lakers gave up. Though Kuzma was by no means the correct match alongside James or Anthony Davis, he was a key contributor off the bench after they gained the 2020 NBA championship. He was additionally a fan favourite and was very lively on social networks.
Kuzma has since flourished on a really weak Wizards crew, and his identify has surfaced in latest months as a commerce candidate. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Lakers have been “conserving tabs” on the 29-year-old ahead (h/t Lakers Every day).
Through HoopsHype:
“At Washington, ahead Kyle Kuzma is taken into account one of many crew leaders who retains the Wizards aggressive whereas serving to develop different younger gamers round him as a ahead able to scoring and protection,” Scotto wrote.
“Groups across the league consider the 29-year-old ahead is value monitoring as a commerce candidate as a result of his expertise and his wage decline over the subsequent two years whereas he’s in his prime years. League executives additionally consider Kuzma does not match the long-term timeline of Washington’s younger core.
“The Dallas Mavericks almost traded for Kuzma final season earlier than turning to the acquisitions of PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford. The Indiana Pacers had been taken with Kuzma earlier than launching a blockbuster commerce to amass Pascal Siakam. The Sacramento Kings have additionally been linked to Kuzma for the previous two seasons.
Different groups which have stored tabs on Kuzma embody [Milwaukee] Deer, [Golden State] Warriors, Lakers, [Miami] Warmth, and [Cleveland] Cavaliers, HoopsHype has discovered.
The Lakers may use measurement and size on the ahead place aside from James and Rui Hachimura, which the 6-foot-9 Kuzma may present. Though he’ll make $23.5 million this season, his wage will lower by about $2 million per 12 months over the subsequent two seasons, which may make him a pretty participant in opposition to the very restrictive wage cap of the NBA.
Nonetheless, Los Angeles additionally wants extra 3-point shooters, and Kuzma in all probability would not assist in that space. A lifetime 33.6% 3-point shooter, he’s at a really anemic 27.6% from that distance this season whereas making solely 42% of his total makes an attempt from the sector. His scoring common has dropped to fifteen.8 factors per recreation after setting a career-high 22.2 factors per recreation final season.
This text was initially printed on LeBron Wire: The Lakers might be taken with a commerce for considered one of their former gamers
