Amid all the trade speculation, the Los Angeles Lakers absolutely must keep Kyle Kuzma.
As of late, the Los Angeles Lakers have been heavily involved in a smorgasbord of trade rumors. The team has already made its first pitch to New Orleans for superstar Anthony Davis.
There is no denying the insane quantity of value Davis brings to the table. Through his first 41 games of 2018-2019, the big man is averaging 29.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 4.4 dimes. His PER sits at a whopping 30.9 as well.
There is one central issue in terms of what it would likely take to acquire the All-Star talent. It would mean the Lakers’ brass would have to part with sophomore sensation Kyle Kuzma.
From the Pelicans’ standpoint, it makes plenty of sense. Davis is a transcendent player, so getting the motherload in return for him is sensible on their end of the stick.
It is not to say it does not practical sense for the Lakers, either. The statistics outlined above speak for themselves.
There is another key point that cannot be taken lightly. Per NBA.com writer Matthew Blum, the Lakers have an extremely challenging schedule the rest of the way. As of when this was written, 19 of their remaining 30 contests are against squads that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.
Thus, it does not take a genius to see that pairing a star of Davis’ caliber alongside LeBron James would be potentially special. It is fair to argue that the duo would carry the Lakers back to the playoffs, a place they rightfully belong.
However, say the Lakers were to hypothetically obtain the services of Davis. They would be sacrificing a ton of depth to make the transaction work. Certainly, as was stated above, it is nearly impossible to imagine a trade occurring if Kuzma is not involved.
In all honesty, out of all the young pieces L.A. possesses, letting Kuzma go would be regrettable. The young man is only going to get better as time progresses and he has a certain determination few players can boast.
His unflappable swagger and style are contagious, and Kyle just seems to have this desire to be great. While the Lakers other young guns carry upside, no one’s is higher than Kuzma’s.
The offensive repertoire of Kuzma is off the charts and he is no slouch when it comes to rebounding. Assuming his defense improves in the time to come, there is no reason to think he could not be a borderline All-Star in a couple seasons or so.
Certainly, as of right now, Davis is far, far better than Kuz. There is no question about it.
The Lakers must bear in mind their long-term future in lieu of just the short-term, though. Trading various pieces in addition to Kuzma goes against the game plan the Lakers have been using in recent years. It would be hypocritical.
Moreover, it is worth considering what would occur if such a deal happens. If Kuzma gets traded to New Orleans, he would possibly have an even larger role there than he has had in Los Angeles. In doing so, the Lakers would be allowing another draft pick to thrive elsewhere.
Just look at Julius Randle. Albeit he is currently sidelined with an ankle injury, Randle is averaging close to 20 and 10 a night for the Pelicans. He is doing even better this year than he did last year for the purple and gold.
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Seeing such a scenario unfold yet again would not be wise. While the Lakers would be getting something in return this time around, it would be for a player. Yes, a phenomenal player, but merely a lone player nonetheless.
Now, it is critical to take a gander into the near future as all of this is being mulled over. In the coming summer, various All-Stars are going to be hitting the open market. Having Davis in tow would make the Lakers look more appealing to someone perhaps.
This dream-like possibility could explain the desire to get AD aboard as quickly as possible. It is not illogical to think so.
Be that as it may, New Orleans is asking for a massive, preposterous haul in return for their prized center. Including, say, four pieces and Kuzma seems like too much.
Davis in a Lakers jersey would be incredible, but it is also significant for the Lakers to think deeply about the idea. Maybe the writer behind this keyboard just sees something not everyone else sees in Kuzmania.
Losing No. 0 would be a terrible thing for the Lakers. The team’s executives, at all costs, must make a stalwart effort to keep the former Utah product. He carries too much promise and is not the type of guy that one can find all the time.