Los Angeles Lakers Rumors: Team packaging a Kyle Kuzma deal for Robert Covington?

Lakers rumors for the next few weeks will center around one player. That player is Kyle Kuzma. Lake Show Life breaks down the newest of the Lakers rumors. Kyle Kuzma being packaged in a deal for Robert Covington. Should Lakers fans believe them? Let’s find out?

It is starting to seem ridiculous that a 31-7 team riding a seven-game winning streak after a Dallas Mavericks beatdown would have drama concerning Lakers rumors. It’s even more mind-numbing discussing reports about a trade concerning a future piece to a franchise. But after covering this team for a while, it’s apparent that this comes with the territory.

Despite the Los Angeles Lakers running roughshod over the competition over the last ten days, the reports that the Los Angeles Lakers making moves before the NBA trade deadline won’t stop. Sadly for Kyle Kuzma, his name will be the only one that keeps coming up.

As the Lakers continue to be swarmed with rumors regarding a possible Kyle Kuzma trade, Lake Show Life will be here to discern what’s realistic and what’s clickbait for likes and retweets on social media.

It is important to remind everyone that it’s more about NBA GM’s wanting Kyle Kuzma on their team as opposed to the Lakers want to be rid of a budding star.

Outside of Danny Green, whose huge contract makes him unattractive in any deal, Kyle Kuzma is the best Lakers asset that is coveted around the NBA. Something that Lake Show Life broke down in detail a month ago.

This is the Kyle Kuzma that the Lakers and the fanbase were depending on this year.

After averaging 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists last year, all of his stats have taken a dip with his minutes this year. With injuries costing him his starting spot, Kuzma has struggled with consistency coming off the bench.

In his role as a reserve, Kuzma sports career-lows across the board. After starting 68 out of 70 games last year, Kuzma has started just one prior to the Dallas game due to Anthony Davis‘ injury. This year, Kyle Kuzma has averages of 12.0 points on 42.0 percent shooting.

The latest example of Lakers rumors centers around a potential Kuzma trade deal that includes  DeMarcus Cousins, who hasn’t touched the floor this year and backup point guard Quinn Cook, who has maybe played 15 minutes more this season in an offer for the Minnesota Timberwolves forward Robert Covington.

ESPN’s Bobby Marks makes an effort to explain how in the world the Lakers could pitch a deal to Minnesota.

"The Los Angeles Lakers may reportedly try to build a blockbuster offer surrounding forward Kyle Kuzma in an effort to acquire Minnesota Timberwolves forward Robert Covington ahead of the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline. ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported Tuesday the Lakers could package Kuzma, Quinn Cook and the injured DeMarcus Cousins as part of its proposal for Covington, but it’s unclear whether that would be enough for Minnesota, which will try to generate a “bidding war” in the coming weeks."

The narrative that will be told with this potential deal for fans the Lakers would be sacrificing a better scorer and younger player for one who is simply a better defender.

Lake Show Life takes a closer look at the deal from both sides and then let you know, realistically, if this deal will go down.

Lake Show Life readers are highly intelligent. They were talking about this guy before the rumors surfaced.

Yes, the headline read right. Many Lake Show Life readers (They know who they are!) actually had Robert Covington as a potential addition to the roster for weeks. The debates in the comments were so strong, this writer had no choice but to actually watch a Minnesota game in full to see what the hype was all about.

Robert Covington is a microcosm of his team right now. Covington along with the Wolves are struggling.

The rumored player that should have Kyle Kuzma packing is averaging only 12 points, a shade under six rebounds and two steals as a starter. He is shooting only 43% shooting from the field and 34% shooting from the land of the extra point.

What the Timberwolves are trying to sell the Lakers is the Robert Covington from last year.

Sure, Robert Covington was good for chemistry for the Timberwolves. Did anyone forget who he was acquired for? Jimmy Butler. The same guy that used the “Scorched Earth” tactic to get traded in the first place. Karl Anthony-Towns and Andrew Wiggins would have taken anyone last year just to get away from Butler’s wrath.

Minnesota will want to sell that he is a former First-Team All-NBA defender during the 2017-18 season as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. They will claim that he’s a consistent scorer and an above-average defender.

With his 3-point shooting efficiency of 35.9% from distance during his career, he fits in perfectly with the age-old narrative that he can be the shooter that LeBron James needs.

Now let’s bring in reality into the equation. ESPN’s Bobby Marks continues to break down what the true intentions of Minnesota and these negotiations, but a subscription is required to view all of the content.

Pay particular attention to the salary Covington commands not just this season, but the next TWO seasons. Kuzma is making $1.9 million this year and $3.5 million next year. Sure, Kuzma isn’t tearing up the NBA right now, but he’s providing the same amount of production and the mere fraction of the price.

Now that we have talked about the centerpieces, let’s talk about the players needed to make the deal work. Relax, no Kentavious Caldwell-Pope references.

DeMarcus Cousins has a salary that works, but does anyone think the Wolves can sell him as a part of the deal?

In the case of Cousins, he’s the main reason that this deal will never get done. There’s a laundry list of reasons, so let’s start with the most obvious. The injury that will possibly keep him out at least until the playoffs. Even that is a stretch at this point.

DeMarcus Cousins continues rehab program from the torn ACL in his left knee suffered last summer. To his credit, he has worked hard and has begun light workouts in the hopes of returning this season. There are some that seem to hold out hope that Cousins gets back on the floor in 2019-20. Lake Show Life does not see it.

Even though Frank Vogel is not ruling out a return, good luck with that mythical, majestically happy visual happening.

Via Bill Oram of The Athletic Vogel gives an update on Cousins’ progress:

"“He’s going to start working into a little bit of a light warmup stuff. But that’s just like light jogging and those types of things. He still has a long way to go.” Said it’s “still a possibility” he plays this season."

Now before Lake Show Life delves into the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement surrounding the DeMarcus Cousins situation. Take a look at the obvious situation on the surface.

Do you really think the Minnesota Timberwolves will take a player that hasn’t suited up this season? To take this deeper, do you really think Boogie will even take the flight out of Los Angeles? Trust this point before this discussion goes deeper. If Cousins was traded, he’s not going to be in as big a rush with his rehab to get back on a lottery team as he would with a title contender.

Here’s the second part of the Boogie discussion.

The Los Angeles Lakers need the NBA Disabled Player Exception because of the Cousins’ injury.

There will be a lot of false Lakers rumors over the next few weeks. One rumor that is definitely true is their desire to get Darren Collison away from the Los Angeles Clippers. The Lakers are capped out on the books and need the Disabled Player Exception to offer more money to Collison.

That Disabled Player Exception was granted to the Lakers thanks to the injury of DeMarcus Cousins. The exception is the only way the Lakers have to compete financially against the Clippers.

Thanks to the money not being prorated, it allows the Lakers to offer more money without making any sudden moves to open cap space. This is the main reason why the Lakers won’t trade Cousins. Rob Pelinka is smart enough not to make a deal that messes up an opportunity to almost double whatever the minimum is for any other team for Collison.

The Lakers can potentially lose the exception waiting on Collison if Cousins is traded or returns to play this season. Plus, the Lakers players love him in the locker room, especially Anthony Davis. He is one of the locker room leaders and actually has LeBron’s respect.

If LeBron can admit that AD and Boogie jumped down his throat to play better in Miami, that shows he has earned some stripes.

Meet the player with the easiest contract to move on the roster. Introducing Quinn Cook.

Quinn Cook will be brought up possibly numerous deal scenarios as the fill-in player to line up salaries. Why? Because his two-year deal is one of three easiest contracts the Lakers can unload with Kyle Kuzma (No surprise!) and Danny Green.

If you haven’t forgotten that Cook is on the roster based on his lack of playing time, he’s considered expendable. Frank Vogel has made it clear that the veterans are going to be a part of this journey to a championship. Quinn Cook can actually play some ball but can’t get off the end of the bench.

Enjoy the highlights against the Chicago Bulls because Cook hasn’t had the opportunity to do anything else this season.

Cook averages just 4.6 points and 1.4 assists per game. He’s shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Think the Minnesota Timberwolves want a player that’s putting up these numbers? Let’s go deeper. The Wolves have a ton of guards on their roster that do the same thing Cook does. Shabazz Napier, Jeff Teague, Jarrett Culver all play the point guard position. There’s no room for Cook.

These Lakers rumors are false! There’s nothing here for both teams.

It bears repeating that the conversations that Rob Pelinka is having with multiple NBA teams is part of the job description. Most outlets are making this rumor more than what it is. The bottom line is, if the Lakers unload Kyle Kuzma, the price will be high.

The Lakers would have to get back a borderline starter (Point guard more than likely!) who could be a consistent playmaker to team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis to get to the Finals. That’s to start. The major coup will be squeezing a high first-round draft pick to start replacing draft picks lost in the AD deal. that projects to be in or around the lottery.

Another option to consider is two potential lesser first-round picks in upcoming drafts.

Thanks to the Davis deal, the cupboard is bare by way of draft picks. The Lakers owe their 2021 first-rounder to the Pelicans. Now if the pick falls between 8 and 30 (Hello? The Lakers are walking into the playoffs!) the pick will transfer. The Pelicans also own the right to swap picks with the Lakers in 2023 and to take the Lakers’ pick in either 2024 or 2025.

Because first-round picks can’t be traded in consecutive years based on the Stepien Rule, the Lakers can’t trade a first-rounder in any deal coming up.

The Lakers rumors will keep coming, but this one will not happen. Plus if you saw Kyle Kuzma’s performance against the Dallas Mavericks, it shows the potential is much more an asset than Robert Covington could be for the Los Angeles Lakers.