Are the Lakers planning a trade to reunite with a former player turned star?

With December 15th now past, teams can now trade players who were signed in the offseason. That gives teams more trade options, particularly the Los Angeles Lakers, who have several players that they previously signed in free agency. The Lakers have been linked to several players in the lead-up to the end of the moratorium, and yesterday marked the unofficial beginning of trade season.

According to Chris B. Haynes, one player that Los Angeles could pursue is Kyle Kuzma, and a reunion between the Lakers and Kuzma seems possible.

Kuzma was taken 27th overall in the 2018 NBA draft by the Lakers and played three seasons with the team.

Could Los Angeles trade for Kyle Kuzma?

The Lakers then traded Kuzma to the Washington Wizards in a deal for Russell Westbrook, only for him to exceed expectations. Meanwhile, Westbrook struggled to be the third star on the Lakers. While he’s found a role with the second unit, giving up on Kuzma probably hasn’t sat right with the Lakers, which may explain why they want him back.

For Kuzma’s part, he is averaging 21.4 points per game, making him a top-30 scorer in the NBA. Although he’s not particularly efficient, he’d give the Lakers a big offensive boost. Pincus also states that he intends to leave Washington in free agency and that he wouldn’t mind returning to Los Angeles. Kuzma, himself, has dropped hints about his preference to play in Los Angeles, and he may get his wish.

https://twitter.com/kylekuzma/status/1603467117839273984?s=20&t=uxsSrhli6r4UEMP76IB_Eg

The Lakers could either acquire him prior to the trade deadline or sign him in free agency; however, he is looking for a new contract in the range of $20–25 million a season. The Lakers could potentially afford that, while the Wizards likely can’t and could look to move him rather than risk Kuzma leaving for nothing.

After all, they have also seen their playoff hopes drop dramatically after losing eight straight games, and they are currently 12th in the East. This is despite Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kyle Kuzma all averaging more than 20 points per game. If the losing continues, they may make the decision to tank, and he’d likely be one of the players who’d get dealt.

Do the Lakers have enough to land Kuzma?

Los Angeles can match salaries easily enough, with Patrick Beverly’s salary being comparable to Kuzma’s. Additionally, with Kuzma unlikely to re-sign, Los Angeles may be able to get away with trading three second-round picks as opposed to their 2027 or 2029 first-round picks.

Other teams have shown interest in Kuzma and could always outbid them. Still, if those teams believe that he will ultimately leave and sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer, then they may be hesitant to trade much for him.

All in all, there appears to be a decent chance that Kuzma is traded this season, especially amid the Wizards’ slide in the standings. And whether he is traded to the Lakers or signs there, the odds are that he could end up playing in Los Angeles soon.