Lakers Linked To Trades For Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball
The Los Angeles Lakers have been the most disappointing team in the NBA this summer.
After a ton of chatter about how they might add Klay Thompson, Dejounte Murray and DeMar DeRozan, the front office wound up doing a whole lot of nothing.
The only player the Lakers added was Bronny James – and his teammates already seem to hate him.
Making matters worse, the biggest star that L.A. has been linked to in recent weeks, Lauri Markkanen, is now apparently off the table for them. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, there are only three real suitors for the 27-year-old right now, and the Lakers aren’t one of them.
So where do LeBron James and Co. go from here?
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According to Fadeaway World, there is a scenario where the Lakers could make a trade that nets them both Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball.
In the proposal Kuzma, Ball and a 2027 first-round pick get sent to Los Angeles. From there, Rui Hachimura and Christian Wood get dealt to the Chicago Bulls. And finally, the Washington Wizards receive D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Cam Reddish.
It is easy to see why the Wizards would make this move. They are in the midst of a rebuild and are just taking in filler contracts that will come off the books soon. The same goes for the Bulls – though they are a bit behind Washington in their rebuild process.
The real question is why Los Angeles would do this. Yes, bringing Kuzma back may provide James and Anthony Davis with some additional offensive support. But it is worth remembering that he wasn’t the same player in L.A. that he has been with the Wizards.
It is much easier putting up en masse shots when you’re playing alongside Jordan Poole and a bunch of nobodies.
Kuzma notwithstanding, though – Ball is the real question mark here. He hasn’t played basketball in a very long time and it is hard to see how he fits with the Lakers at this juncture.
Even at full health the Lakers didn’t want him. Is him in this currently-diminished state really what the ballclub needs?
The Lakers need to make some big moves ahead of next season, but it’s hard to see this being one that they opt for.
