NBA Rumors: Spurs & Thunder Among Teams That Could Trade For Kyle Kuzma Before Deadline, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
A new report suggests that there are a few less-frequently-mentioned teams that could ideally be among the many suitors for Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma ahead of the NBA’s February 6 trade deadline. These apparently include two Western Conference playoff contenders — the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In a list of 10 of the best players that could potentially find new homes before next month’s trade deadline, Bleacher Report‘s Greg Swartz opined in his entry for Kuzma that the 24-year-old has been quite a divisive player in terms of his trade value. While the third-year star has performed decently off the bench for the Lakers while putting up big numbers in his six games as a starter, he has also been criticized by some observers as a one-dimensional scorer who doesn’t offer much passing, rebounding, and defense. Swartz also noted that there are teams that might expect Kuzma to demand “far more” than what he might deserve in contract negotiations once his current deal expires in the summer of 2021.
After pointing out that Kuzma, despite his perceived weaknesses, is still the Lakers’ best remaining trade asset and might be poised for a breakout year on the right team, Swartz suggested a number of organizations that could benefit from the youngster’s services, including the Spurs, Thunder, and the New York Knicks.
No specific trade ideas were recommended, but the first two teams have rarely — if at all — been brought up regularly as potential destinations for Kuzma. The Knicks, on the other hand, were mentioned in passing last month as a possible landing spot, as their own starting power forward, Marcus Morris, has also been involved in various trade rumors in recent weeks.
"I remain a Kyle Kuzma fan. You want to talk about cold-blooded fearless? He's got that gene in him. And yet, he doesn't seem to fit in the flow of the LeBron/AD Lakers." — @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/s22xMG3sEn
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) January 21, 2020
Talking about what the Lakers might demand in exchange for Kuzma if they trade him elsewhere, Swartz wrote that the team — which is currently leading the Western Conference with a 36-9 record — will likely look for an experienced player who could improve their chances of winning the NBA Finals this season.
“[M]oving Kuzma for the right veteran piece would make more sense than simply dumping him for draft picks. A rebuilding team in need of young talent would be a good fit, as would franchises with a strong culture that could help mold and improve the other areas of his game.”
Despite frequently being described as a team that may soon enter rebuilding mode after years as a perennial championship contender, the Spurs are just half a game shy of the eighth seed in the Western Conference, with a 20-24 record as of this writing. The Thunder, meanwhile, are two spots higher in the rankings at seventh place with a 27-19 record and have several key players, including Danilo Gallinari, Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder, and Steven Adams, who have been regularly featured in trade rumors for quite some time, per Fadeaway World.
