The Los Angeles Lakers have opened the trade window with a big trade for Dennis Schroder and were able to keep Kyle Kuzma in the process. That means that they either have plans for him to be a part of the team this season or that they are hoping to use him to land a different player. Despite a lackluster season, he could net the Lakers a decent return.
However, feelings around the league are mixed on him. According to Michael Sotto of Hoopshype, some teams view him as a strong starter while others believe he’s a backup:
Some around the league believe he can be a starter and cause mismatches on offense. Others view Kuzma as a scorer off the bench who can change the dynamic of a game on a playoff team.
“I see him as a backup, probably your seventh guy,” one executive said. “He’s somebody who can come in off the bench and spot start here and there to change the lineup.”
When Kuzma was a starter, he was a very strong scorer. Even in games that he started last season, he was much more effective. If he’s going to move to another team, they should be thinking of him as a starter. Coming off the bench doesn’t appear to be the best way to utilize him.
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DeMar DeRozan Trade Still on the Table?
Prior to the Schroder trade, the Lakers were rumored to be interested in sending Kuzma and Danny Green to the San Antonio Spurs for DeMar DeRozan. Green is now off the table as he’s getting sent to Oklahoma City. That doesn’t necessarily mean that a trade can’t happen but it definitely makes things more difficult.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, DeRozan is going to opt into his contract with the Spurs. That means he’s set to make $27.7 million this year. With the Lakers taking on Schroder’s contract, it’s hard to imagine they can make the DeRozan money work. Kuzma is still on a rookie deal so his cap hit is very small. Adding DeRozan and Schroder would give the Lakers a stacked roster but it just doesn’t really seem possible right now.
Will Lakers Trade Kuzma?
Now that the Lakers have traded for Schroder without trading Kuzma, it seems possible they’ll stick with the young forward. It does sound like there are some teams interested in him but it remains to be seen how much teams will give up to get him.
With Green getting traded, the Lakers do have a need for more 3-point shooting. Kuzma could be used as a trade piece to land a sharpshooter. Other than that, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to get a third star for him. Chris Paul is already on the move and the Schroder addition makes Derrick Rose an unlikely target. Kuzma will likely go into the season and his name will pop up in trade rumors once the deadline nears.
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Teams Have Eye-Opening Thoughts on Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma, per Insider