Lakers Have Reportedly Kept Tabs on Reunion With Kyle Kuzma

Ricardo Sandoval | Dec 2, 2024

Apr 3, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) shoots the ball as l3/ defends in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are a solid team, but they need to make a trade to bolster their roster. 

The Lakers, their fans, and the rest of the league have known that for the last year, and that remains the case a year later. A trade is on the horizon for the Lakers, and while it may not happen until we hit the early February trade deadline, the reported names have already popped up. 

The Lakers have been linked to many names thus far, including their former champion forward, Kyle Kuzma. 

Kuzma has been a name linked to the Lakers in the past, and once that is the case in early December. 

As we approach the trade deadline, the 29-year-old has already been linked to many teams, including the Lakers. Mike Scotto of HoopsHype listed a handful of teams that are monitoring Kuzma. 

“The Dallas Mavericks nearly traded for Kuzma last season before pivoting to acquisitions of PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford. The Indiana Pacers were interested in Kuzma before swinging a blockbuster trade to acquire Pascal Siakam. The Sacramento Kings have also been linked to Kuzma for the past two seasons. Other teams who’ve kept tabs on Kuzma include the Bucks, Warriors, Lakers, Heat, and Cavaliers, HoopsHype has learned.” 

Kuzma is on a lowly Wizards team that is going nowhere. On the other hand, Kuzma is a solid player and could flourish on a championship-contending team. We saw that firsthand in the 2019-20 season when he helped lead the Lakers to their 17th title in franchise history. 

Kuzma is having a solid start to the year. He is averaging 15.8 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 42 percent from the field and 27 percent from three. 

Los Angeles drafted the former Laker forward in the 2017 NBA Draft with the No. 27 overall pick in the first round. While Lonzo Ball was the top pick for L.A. that year, it was Kuzma who took the fanbase and the league by storm with his fantastic play right out of the gate—so much so that he earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team. 

He was a crucial piece for L.A. in his first four years, but the Lakers wanted to go the three-superstar player route and traded him as part of a package for Russell Westbrook.

That trade was ultimately a disaster, and now the Lakers are trying to right their wrongs before they squander their championship window with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. 

More Lakers: Lakers Receive Insulting Odds at Winning 2025 NBA Title