Getty Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers
With the Los Angeles Lakers potentially looking to upgrade their roster before the February 9 trade deadline, we’re undoubtedly going to see their name crop up in numerous trade rumors.
However, according to Dan Favale of Bleacher Report, the Lakers may need to move fast if they want to secure a reunion with Kyle Kuzma, as the Milwaukee Bucks could be a potential landing spot for him.
“Milwaukee is limited in what it can peddle on the trade market. It doesn’t have the lofty salary-matching tools, blue-chip prospects or first-round equity to go big-game hunting…Kyle Kuzma is worth mortgaging a sliver of the future. He has dipped below 35 percent on catch-and-shoot threes but remains slippery on cuts to the basket, adds another layer of self-creation and can hold his on defense at either forward spot,” Favale wrote.
Kyle Kuzma in a 118-95 win @ the Bucks : 10 points on 5-16 shooting, 13 rebounds & 11 assists in 33 minutes (1st triple double this season)
Kuzma, 27, won a championship with the LeBron James-led Lakers in 2020 and has spent the last two and a half seasons with the Washington Wizards; in his 39 games for the Wizards this season, Kuzma is averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, while shooting 46.1% from the field and 33.7% from deep.
Kyle Kuzma Is Unsure On A Lakers Reunion
During a December 17 interview with Fox Sports’ Melissa Rohlin, Kuzma reflected on his time with the purple and gold before shooting down a potential reunion with his former team and teammates.
Y’all forget how good Laker Kyle Kuzma is
“I think it just shows you the grass is not always greener…It’s definitely a good thing because at the end of the day, that means I’ve been playing well, and I have value in this league, that a team would want to trade for me. It’s a blessing,” Kuzma said.
Kuzma Could Also Interest The Chicago Bulls
Outside of the Bucks, there is also a belief that Kuzma could be of interest to the Chicago Bulls if they opt toward entering a rebuild. In fact, according to Bleacher Reports Eric Pincus, Chicago would make sense as a potential landing spot for Kuzma.
“Another team to monitor would be the Lakers, knowing Kuzma has championship experience playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Giving up a first to both part and reunite with Kuzma would fit the Lakers’ track record. Los Angeles might have Kuzma on its list, but the Bulls may present an alternative option,” Pincus wrote.
Latest @BleacherReport “NBA Trade Intel: Three Potential Fire Sales + a Juicy Kyle Kuzma Rumor” –the teams that want to buy ahead of the trade deadline are closely monitoring the potential sellers
Regardless of how many teams are interested in trading for Kuzma, the Lakers will need to make a decision about what direction they want to go in between now and the end of the current season. Should Rob Pelinka decide to push his chips into the middle of the table, then Kuzma would be an ideal addition to the Lakers’ bench and could drastically improve their floor spacing and wing defense.
Luckily for the Lakers, there’s still another month before the trade deadline slams shut, which means anything can happen.