Los Angeles Lakers: 3 trade destinations that could maximize Kyle Kuzma

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 02: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after making a basket against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on April 02, 2021 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 02: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after making a basket against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on April 02, 2021 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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(Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers

3. Utah Jazz

We could have picked another bottom tier team that Kyle Kuzma could have gone to simply to have a high usage rate and score a lot of points but these teams are deeper than that. Sure, OKC and San Antonio are bad teams, but they are bad teams that have good things going that would help Kuzma.

The Utah Jazz are not a bad team. They had the best record in the league last season and Kuzma would instantly contend for another NBA Championship.

The Jazz have made almost everyone who has played in Utah better. Kuzma has to look no further than a former teammate in Jordan Clarkson, who won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year last season.

Utah has a great thing going. They may not have the starpower to win an NBA Championship but they are a team that gets everone involved and makes everyone better. If you look at ball movement in the basketball dictionary you see a picture of the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz can use an athletic scoring four and Kuzma could even start over Royce O’Neale if he ended up in Utah. It would be a good place for him to contend and play better basketball.

As far as a potential trade goes, the only way the Lakers are willing sending him to Utah is if Mike Conley conducts a sign-and-trade and wants to be a Laker. If that is the case then Kuzma would definitely be returning to Utah, which is where he played his college ball.