It’s pretty clear that the Los Angeles Lakers hold Kyle Kuzma to a high standard. They trust him as one of their go-to-guys going forward, and that’s the reason why they didn’t trade him away to the New Orleans Pelicans in the Anthony Davis trade, nor midseason despite his struggles.
However, now that they’ve won an NBA Championship and are looking to strengthen their ranks even more, Kuzma is once again in the midst of several trade rumors once again. And, according to The Athletic’s Sham Charania, there would be plenty of suitors for his services in the trade market.
Sources: Anthony Davis plans to opt out of contract and re-sign with the Lakers.
Inside Pass on Davis, Lakers/Heat offseasons and more across league at @TheAthleticNBA: https://t.co/P5YRf3Fbzb
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 15, 2020
The 25-year-old combo forward is currently in the final year of his rookie deal and is likely to demand a huge contract extension, something that the Lakers may not be able or willing to do if they make a run at another star in the offseason or trade for Chris Paul as some people suggest.
That means that Kuzma is now an obvious and likely trade asset and if he’s as sought-after as Shams says, maybe it would be for the best if the purple-and-gold found a way to part ways with him and add Danny Green’s expiring contract in the mix as well.
Kuzma has made some great strides as a defender and showed his ability to hit huge shots down the stretch this season. However, he struggled to make the adjustment to coming off the bench and didn’t have the breakout season we all thought he’d have.
Now, the Lakers face the crossroads of overpaying a 25-year-old player out of pure potential or letting him walk away and watch him blossom elsewhere.
