According to a recently proposed trade idea, the San Antonio Spurs could acquire Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma in exchange for backup guard Derrick White and a 2021 second-round draft pick.
As explained on Thursday by NBA Analysis Network , there’s a possibility that the Lakers might not have much interest in investing a large amount of money in extending Kuzma’s contract. With that in mind, the outlet noted that the Spurs “would make a lot of sense” as the 25-year-old’s next destination following a season where he saw his numbers drop to 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, with shooting percentages of 43.6 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Explaining why the move could be a good idea for both sides, the outlet pointed out that White could provide more backcourt depth for the Lakers while Kuzma could be a “perfect fit” in San Antonio, giving the team someone who could develop in the long term and produce big scoring numbers. During the 2018-19 campaign, which was the last season before Los Angeles acquired Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans, the former University of Utah standout averaged 18.7 points and converted on 45.6 percent of his field-goal attempts.
Regarding White’s potential impact if the proposed transaction becomes a reality, NBA Analysis Network wrote that the 26-year-old was a “solid” contributor for the Spurs last season, with averages of 11.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists and decent shooting clips from the field and from three-point territory. He could also be a low-risk acquisition, considering he has just one year remaining on his current contract.
Despite the potential benefits for both organizations, the site also cautioned that neither club might improve that much in the short-term if the deal pushes forward.
“Neither team would see their contention needle move much from this trade. But, it would allow the Lakers to get some value for Kuzma. He isn’t going to get a huge contract from L.A., but could earn something sizable with the Spurs.”
Given how the Spurs have been considered by many to be a rebuilding team following their failure to make the playoffs in 2019-20, the new trade idea is just one of many involving the once-dominant organization. Most of these proposed deals have revolved around veterans LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan , including one that suggested the Golden State Warriors could land DeRozan for a package featuring small forward Andrew Wiggins and two second-round selections in the 2021 draft.