Published 06:53 IST, January 1st 2020
Lakers Trade Rumours: Kyle Kuzma likely to face the axe in February 2020
Lakers Trade Rumours: According to NBA reports, Los Angeles Lakers might trade Kyle Kuzma before the NBA trade deadline in February for a bigger player.
The Los Angeles Lakers may be currently leading the Western Conference with a 25-7 win-loss record but they had suffered from 4 back-to-back losses prior to their win over Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. According to various NBA reports, Lakers trade rumours suggest that the team will probably trade Kyle Kuzma. Lakers' General Manager Rob Pelinka is reportedly interested in upgrading the roster further despite the team's overall success this season. Kyle Kuzma was supposed to be the third big player for the Lakers after LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, Pelinka wants to trade Kuzma for a bigger player. Kuzma scored 25 points during the Lakers' Christmas Day loss against the Los Angeles Clippers. The points, however, are not enough for Pelinka as the Lakers currently need a consistent third scorer, who assists well and has a good 3-point percentage.
Lakers Trade Rumours: Lakers plan to trade Kyle Kuzma before the Feb 2020 deadline
NBA reports also suggest that any trade move the Lakers make will be closer to the February deadline. The Lakers have 24-year-old Kyle Kuzma under a $3.6 million contract for NBA 2020-21. Kuzma has great potential which the Lakers could use to trade the major player upgrade they want before the deadline in February. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is under a $8.1 million contract this NBA season, could also be a trading option for the Lakers. Caldwell-Pope is currently averaging 9 points per game while shooting 46.9% from the field.
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After the Lakers lost four games in a row, NBA reports claim that trading Kyle Kuzma for a third 'impact' player could be the team's best chance for being successful after qualifying for the playoffs this season, when they are expected to again take on city rivals Los Angeles Clippers, to whom they have lost twice this season. Kyle Kuzma is currently averaging at 11.9 points per game while making 70.2% of his free throws and shooting 43.8% from the field. Though Kyle Kuzma has been restricted due to injury, he seems to have not created the impact he could have. A third player to support LeBron James and Anthony Davis could be crucial for the Lakers if they are aiming for the NBA 2019-20 championship win.
Updated 06:53 IST, January 1st 2020