Lakers in Talks With Former Player Kyle Kuzma to Help LeBron James Win NBA Championship: Rumor

The Lakers have missed out on free agency thus far, but they have a few players on their radar in the market, with former teammate Kyle Kuzma being the most prominent name. Read more.

By Natasha Bose

Published on Jul 04, 2024 | 10:02 AM IST | 52.1K

Kyle Kuzma Trade Rumors: Reports Say Lakers Could Potentially Bring Back Ex-NBA Champion

In this Article

Kyle Kuzma might reunite with LeBron James
Kyle Kuzma has grown into a star since he left
DeMar DeRozan's talks are as good as ‘frozen’

This free agency period has proved to be particularly difficult for the Los Angeles Lakers. First, they missed out on bagging Klay Thompson. Then, LeBron James signed a two-year, $104 million extension, which has put excessive pressure on their financial situation, making things tougher.

Despite these hurdles, the Lakers are exploring trade options, with a particular interest in Washington Wizards forward and former Laker Kyle Kuzma, according to Anthony Irwin of Lakers Daily.

Kyle Kuzma might reunite with LeBron James

Anthony Irwin reported that the Lakers are interested in bringing back Kyle Kuzma, who was part of their 2020 NBA Finals-winning roster in the bubble.

According to Lakers Daily, sources stated that the team has engaged in trade talks with the Portland Trail Blazers about Jerami Grant, the Brooklyn Nets about Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, the Toronto Raptors about Bruce Brown, and the Washington Wizards about Kyle Kuzma, along with other teams and trade targets.

“To this point, though, those are the names most closely linked to the Lakers, according to league and team sources,” Irwin stated.

Irwin also mentioned that Kuzma is open to returning to the Lakers after being traded to the Wizards in the Russell Westbrook deal in 2021, a move that didn’t work out well.

Last season, Washington nearly traded Kuzma to the Dallas Mavericks, but he preferred not to go there due to doubts about their championship prospects. Ironically, Dallas reached the championship series this year. Sources indicate that Kuzma would welcome a return to Los Angeles, and the Lakers are equally interested in having him back, as Irwin noted.

Time is running out for the Lakers as other big names they were interested in, like Donovan Mitchell, Alex Caruso, Klay Thompson, and Dejounte Murray, are no longer viable.

Kyle Kuzma has grown into a star since he left

Kuzma is coming off his best season, averaging career-highs of 22.2 points on 46.3% shooting, 4.2 assists, and 6.6 rebounds per game.

He has consistently scored 20 points per game over the past two seasons and won a championship with the Lakers in the Orlando Bubble in 2020. He was traded to the Wizards the following season.

Drafted 27th overall in 2017, Kuzma was traded to the Lakers along with Brook Lopez in a Draft Day deal with the Brooklyn Nets for D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov. Kuzma and Russell might get traded for each other again.

Rob Pelinka knew the team would have limited options in free agency, and after missing out on Klay Thompson and others, he is now focusing on upgrades using D’Angelo Russell’s expiring contract and available draft capital, according to sources close to the situation who spoke anonymously, Irwin wrote.

The 6-foot-9 Kuzma is on one of the best value deals in the league today—a declining four-year, $90 million contract with three years remaining. The Lakers can combine two future first-round picks (2029 and 2031) and use their 2030 first-rounder as standalone draft capital in their search for a significant upgrade. They also have five pick swaps and two future second-round picks.

DeMar DeRozan's talks are as good as ‘frozen’

Talks between six-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan’s camp and the Lakers have stalled, according to Bleacher Report/TNT’s NBA insider Chris Haynes. “I would consider it frozen,” Haynes said on the #ThisLeague Uncut podcast on July 2. “Antarctica.”

The reason behind it is DeRozan’s unwillingness to join the Lakers at a discount. Despite the shrinking market for DeRozan, the six-time NBA All-Star is still seeking more than the $12.9 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception.