The Los Angeles Lakers are on the verge of a historic season. They’ve dominated the Western Conference since day 1 and are clearly one of the frontrunners to go the distance and win the Championship.
However, their need for playmaking and another scoring has been exposed at times, as Kyle Kuzma hasn’t lived up to the expectations coming off the bench this season.
Perhaps, there are several players that would be a better fit for that the Lakers need, and considering Kuzma is their best trade asset, they’re likely going to have to part ways with him if they want to add more firepower to their squad.
Thus far, the third-year player is averaging 13.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.6 three-pointers per game on 43/33/74 shooting, but his youth and upside may get the Lakers some nice value in return. Today, we’ll list the best players they could get ahead of the trade deadline:
Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine was snubbed of an All-Star spot this year despite posting the best numbers of his career. He’s a much better player overall and looks more ready to contribute to a Championship team than Kuzma.
His ability to run the offense or play off-ball make him a perfect fit next to Davis and James, and his freakish athleticism would get the Staples off their feet on a nightly basis.
That’s why Jonathan Kiernan of Fansided‘s Lake Show Life, the Lakers could get Zach LaVine by sending a trade package including Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green, and Talen Horton-Tucker to Chicago.
Buddy Hield
Ok, this one may be a long shot, but it’s still possible. Hield wasn’t entirely happy with his situation in Sacramento earlier in the season and now that he’s been shifted to the bench, perhaps he’d want out of Sac-Town right now.
Also, his sharpshooting skills make him a perfect target for the Lakers, considering they need players that could create their own shot and carry the load when James and Davis are getting a breather.
The Kings have been in love with Kuzma for a long time and he looked at his best when he played under Luke Walton. And while it may be kind of tricky to pull it off due to Hield’s recent contract extension, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus thinks they could pull it off by trading away Kuzma with Avery Bradley, Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels, and DeMarcus Cousins.
Bogdan Bogdanovic
The Lakers have been tied with a move for Bogdan Bogdanovic since the start of the season. He’s going to be a free agent and the Kings may want to avoid the risk of letting him walk away. However, it’s been said that they’re not interested in trading him away.
Still, if the Kings continue their pursuit for Kuzma as it seems they will, the Lakers are definitely going to ask for a player with the upside of Bogdanovic.
He’s smart, dynamic, can run the point or play at the two or the three, and most importantly: knock down shots from three. To get him, the Lakers would have to send Avery Bradley and Kyle Kuzma.
Derrick Rose
The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly turned down an offer for Derrick Rose because they didn’t want to part ways with Alex Caruso. However, Kuzma doesn’t offer the defensive hustle and grind Caruso does, so perhaps they’d be more comfortable trading him away.
Derrick Rose has been posting career-high numbers per 36 minutes and it’s clear the Pistons would be thrilled to let him go and kickstart their rebuilding process. Also, the Lakers would get another playmaker that’d be a major upgrade over Rajon Rondo.
For that purpose, the Lakers maybe could get him and Langston Galloway for Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Avery Bradley.
Draymond Green
This one may seem like a very long shot, but the deal could actually work for everybody involved. Green is visibly frustrated and tired of losing, and let’s not ignore the fact that he signed with super-agent Rich Paul, who’s also LeBron James’ and Anthony Davis’ agent.
Thus, if the former Defensive Player of the Year is up for grabs, the Lakers could get him with Alec Burks in return for Danny Green and Kyle Kuzma.
That way, they’d get an instant scorer off the bench and one of the most versatile defenders ever. However, this may all depend on whether Green wants to head out of the Bay or not, which seems unlikely.
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