The Los Angeles Lakers had a very disappointing end to their season in 2021. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis missing a combined 65 games, the Lakers fell all the way to the 7th seed in a very competitive Western Conference. Of course, their chances of going back to back in championships were slim to none because of that.
But looking ahead to next season, the Lakers will need more help for James and Davis. LeBron will be 37 years old and Anthony Davis doesn’t look like he will ever stay injury-free for a full season. That means the Lakers need a third star who can consistently put up points in the case that James or Davis miss time. The Lakers need that second ring because as LeBron James ages, time is running out.
Here are the 5 targets the Lakers can acquire for Kyle Kuzma, a forgotten player that simply isn’t prospering in Los Angeles anymore. Kuzma had a great start to his career with the Lakers and the Purple and Gold traded all their assets except Kuzma because they believed in him. But averaging only 12.9 PPG this season won’t cut it for Los Angeles, who desperately need a third piece to contend and not a young player who needs time to develop.
Buddy Hield
Trade Package: Kyle Kuzma, Dennis Schroder (Sign and Trade), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Buddy Hield averaged his lowest PPG total in 3 years, but he was still relatively consistent when he started. The swingman shot 39.1% from three this season and has a tendency to get hot when he has open looks. Sacramento were rumored to be shopping Hield to make room for Rookie of the Year contender Tyrese Haliburton, so this deal could work.
Hield would immediately become the best spot-up shooter on the Lakers roster. With either James or Davis on the floor, Hield could accumulate points with ease. His size also makes him a great defensive option for the Lakers, while the Kings continue building a young squad with the acquisition of Kyle Kuzma.
Kemba Walker
Trade Package: Kyle Kuzma, Dennis Schroder (Sign and Trade), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Kemba Walker was traded by Boston for a package around Al Horford and Moses Brown. Walker had a good first season with the Celtics but injuries have taken a toll on the 4-time All-Star. As Walker is in his 30’s, he might never be fully healthy again. But that doesn’t mean he can’t average 20 PPG in his sleep for the Lakers.
Los Angeles desperately needed a guard who could create shots in the playoffs, and Kemba can do it exceptionally well. He has a solid three-point shot (36.0%) and has slicing moves to the basket. The Oklahoma City Thunder are in full rebuild mode so they certainly wouldn’t mind swapping Kemba for 25-year old Kyle Kuzma.
Kyle Lowry
Trade Package: Kyle Kuzma, Dennis Schroder (Sign and Trade), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
The Los Angeles Lakers tried to acquire Kyle Lowry before the trade deadline this season, but they wouldn’t part ways with swingman Talen Horton-Tucker. Horton-Tucker seems to be a player everyone likes in Los Angeles because of his size and all-around game and is only 20 years old. Swapping a 20-year-old forward for a 35-year old point guard wasn’t in the cards.
Luckily for Los Angeles, they can acquire their target by including Kyle Kuzma instead. While Horton-Tucker is a valuable piece, Kuzma is not. The Lakers have size with James and Davis and Lowry could complete a trip that is built for the playoffs thanks to experience, defense, and scoring. Toronto could also use Kuzma to eventually play alongside or even replace Pascal Siakam.
Collin Sexton
Trade Package: Kyle Kuzma, Dennis Schroder (Sign and Trade), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, 2027 First-Round Pick
Collin Sexton is being shopped by the Cleveland Cavaliers. After almost making the All-Star Team, he is receiving a ton of attention from plenty of teams around the NBA. Sexton averaged 24.3 PPG on 37.1% shooting from three and is a go-to scorer who can get it done in the clutch as well. For the Lakers, that sounds like a dream come true. The only issue with acquiring Sexton is giving away an extra first-round pick.
If the Lakers want to go all-in this upcoming season, they must acquire Sexton. He is explosive, hungry, and would improve a lot under the leadership of LeBron James. For Cleveland, they might prefer Kyle Kuzma to start alongside Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt instead of paying max money for Sexton so this deal makes sense.
DeMar DeRozan
Trade Package: Kyle Kuzma, Dennis Schroder (Sign and Trade), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
DeMar DeRozan was on the Lakers’ radar all season because he is a shot creator who doesn’t need help to get buckets. The Lakers could have used a lengthy scorer to get buckets whenever LeBron and Davis were not on the floor. Even if DeRozan only shot 25.7% from three this season, he can average 20 PPG in his sleep.
At the expense of the forgotten Kyle Kuzma, underperforming Dennis Schroder, and streaky Caldwell-Pope; the Lakers should go for this deal. The San Antonio Spurs can negotiate a sign and trade for DeRozan, who is a free agent this summer. After averaging 21.6 PPG and 6.9 APG this year, a Big Three of DeRozan with LeBron and Davis makes the Lakers favorites once again.
