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The Los Angeles Lakers have “inquired” about trading for an NBA champion and $39 million star.
Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report reported on December 14 that the Lakers are interested in bringing back Kyle Kuzma. Los Angeles traded the Utah product to the Washington Wizards in August 2021 in the blockbuster Russell Westbrook trade.
Kuzma is in the second season of a three-year, $39 million contract he signed with the Lakers in December 2020. The talented scorer is averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Wizards while shooting 46.2% from the field, 34.3% from beyond the arc and 69.2% from the free-throw line.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report reported on December 10 that Kuzma “wants out” of Washington: “He wants out,” an NBA source told Pincus. “He’s looking for over $20 million a season and in a big market [or with a contender].”
Kuzma: ‘I Had to Show a Shell of Myself’ in LA
During an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic, Kuzma talked about his time with the Lakers, who won the 2020 championship with him on the roster. The Michigan native said he wasn’t able to showcase his full potential in Los Angeles since he was playing behind superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
“As soon as I got traded, I was ready to be more,” Kuzma told Charania. “Being in this situation helped out a lot. Here, I’m not playing behind LeBron (James) and AD (Anthony Davis). Those guys are my position, my type of player, who I am, my style. So coming here, I don’t have that anymore. It’s been great because me, Brad (Bradley Beal) and KP (Kristaps Porzingis) don’t get in each other’s way. We all just flow out there. It’s been a pretty good jell for the first 20 games. We’re all averaging 20 a game without having any friction out there.
“Being in Washington is really just helping me be myself. I had to show a shell of myself in L.A., playing with greatness, and rightfully so. That’s what you should do playing on a team with those type of players at my position. Whereas being in D.C. has allowed me to be myself and expand my game, which a lot of people probably didn’t think I was.”
According to Charania, Kuzma is expected to approach in excess of $20 million to $25 million per year on a new deal next summer.
Bleacher Report Doesn’t Think Lakers Should Go After Kuzma
On December 12, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox wrote that the Lakers shouldn’t pursue a trade for Kuzma. The 6-foot-9 small forward likely wouldn’t average over 20.0 points in Los Angeles since James and Davis are ahead of him in the pecking order.
“Should the Lakers be interested in reacquiring Kuzma less than two years after sending him to Washington in the Russell Westbrook trade? Probably not,” Knox wrote. “At first blush, adding Kuzma seems like a great option. He has become a star in Washington and is averaging 21.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists this season. He’s also shooting a career-best 46.2 percent from the floor. Kuzma is a capable range shooter—he’s shooting 33.3 percent from beyond the arc this season—and theoretically could help provide offensive spacing around James and Davis that Los Angeles could use.
“However, the Lakers wouldn’t be getting this version of Kuzma. They’d be getting the same role player Kuzma was when he last played in L.A. When James and Davis were both healthy in the 2019-20 season, Kuzma started just nine games. He averaged 25.0 minutes but just 12.8 points. As Kuzma recently noted, his play style made it difficult for him to be on the floor with James and Davis regularly. Kuzma’s impact would most likely be as a quality sixth man. L.A. already has that in Westbrook, who is averaging 14.4 points, 7.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 40.5 percent from the floor. Having both Kuzma and Westbrook on the roster wouldn’t make a ton of sense, and Los Angeles isn’t going to convince Washington to take back Westbrook.”
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