Report: Lakers expected to try to trade Kyle Kuzma to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis with ‘better’ talent

By Orel Dizon
Updated: June 11, 2021

Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Following a disappointing first-round exit in this year’s playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers could make some changes to their roster this offseason.

One NBA agent believes Kyle Kuzma could be put on the trading block to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis with better talent.

“The Lakers have grown frustrated with Kuzma’s inconsistency and are going to look at trading him this offseason,” an NBA agent told Evan Massey of NBA Analysis Network. “Rob Pelinka won’t move him for cheap, but if he can be packaged to add better talent around LeBron and AD, they will do that. Kuzma will be on the trade block this offseason and quite a few teams are expected to show interest.”

After being drafted No. 27 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, Kuzma showed that he was among the best rookies in his draft class. He averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds in his first year in the league and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

He even improved in his sophomore year and started in all but two of the games he played during that season.

However, the University of Utah product lost his starting role and saw a decrease in playing time after the Lakers acquired Davis in 2019. He averaged 12.8 points per game in the 2019-20 season and 12.9 points per game this past season.

Kuzma has also failed to deliver in the postseason.

During the Lakers’ title run in the 2020 playoffs, he scored 10.0 points per game on 43.0 percent shooting. This year, he was even worse, as he averaged just 6.3 points per match with a field-goal percentage of 29.2 percent.