Grade the trade: Proposal has Lakers bringing back former wing
By Will Eudy
LA would benefit from adding one former player
One place on the floor they could stand to upgrade at is on the wing. The Lakers have several solid wing options like Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish. However, as time goes on, they are beginning to see that none of them truly give them the production that one former player did: Kyle Kuzma.
Not ever Laker fan will hear Kuzma's name and immediately be thrilled. But he was part of a championship team, and averaged double figures in playoff scoring that year to help the 2019-20 Lakers bring home a title. What's even better is the fact that he has improved so much since four seasons ago.
LAL/WAS Kuzma trade
After being shipped out in the highly regrettable deal LA made for Russell Westbrook back in 2021, Kuzma has evolved his game significantly. He has become a much more polished three-level scorer, bringing big contributions in Washington but not necessarily being recognized for his efforts due to the Wizards' irrelevance at a national level.
In this proposal, LA would roll the dice for proven performance over depth. Vanderbilt is a great defender, but his offense is suspect, on top of his recent health issues. Maxwell Lewis has shown virtually nothing so far in his NBA career, and Vincent was highly disappointing for the Lakers given how much hype was surrounding him.