What Wizards Want From Lakers For Kyle Kuzma

The Los Angeles Lakers came into the 2024 NBA offseason with lofty ambitions. Klay Thompson. Dejounte Murray. Jonas Valanciunas. All these players were mentioned in some capacity as targets.

Unfortunately, in the end, none actually wanted to play for L.A. Thompson opted for less money and a worse contract to avoid the Lakers. Valanciunas joined the Washington Wizards. Murray was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.

So where does that leave Los Angeles? Adrian Wojnarowski recently broke down the team’s plan for the rest of the offseason. They are still one of three squads on the verge of a blockbuster trade for a moderate-level superstar, and continue being linked to Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz.

The Lakers’ best offer for Markkanen is a matter of public record at this point.

Similarly, the front office is continuing to eye a reunion with one big-name center.

That said, the biggest name the Lakers are currently being linked to is one of their former players: Kyle Kuzma.

The Wizards have previously said that they wouldn’t move him for anything less than two first rounders, but Murray and Mikal Bridges’ recent trades may have shifted that calculation a bit.

Moving Murray, a superior player to Kuzma, netted the Atlanta Hawks two first-round picks, former lottery pick Dyson Daniels, and a reliable role player on a team-friendly deal in Larry Nance Jr.

Similarly, the New York Knicks had to give up five first-round picks, a pick swap, and a second-round pick for Bridges.

So what does that mean for Kuzma and what the Wizards would want from the Lakers for him?

According to insider Anthony Irwin, Kuzma is definitely one of the remaining players that L.A. is kicking the tires on.

“Sources say the Lakers have held trade talks with the Portland Trail Blazers about Jerami Grant, the Brooklyn Nets about Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, the Toronto Raptors about Bruce Brown and the Washington Wizards about Kyle Kuzma — as well as other teams and other trade targets,” he wrote.

“To this point, though, those are the names most closely linked to the Lakers, according to league and team sources.”

Based on what Murray and Bridges cost, though – the Wizards are unlikely to accept anything less than two first round picks for him.

This week Lakers team president Rob Pelinka expressed a willingness to move the team’s first rounders, for the right player.

Rob Pelinka says that “if the right deal comes and we have to put in draft picks, we will… We’re now in the apron world… does it make good trades more challenging? Yes. Does it make good trades impossible? No.”

— Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) July 2, 2024

The question now is whether Kuzma is the right player. He is owed $64.43 million over the next three years and has been a consistent 20+ point per game scorer for the Wizards.

How he would fit with the Lakers is debatable. During his first stint with the team, he often found himself getting overshadowed. It is a lot easier to stand out when you’re playing next to nobody in Washington than LeBron James in L.A.

Either way, the asking price for Kuzma is going to be two first round picks. There are at least two other teams interested in his services, which also pushes the asking price up. Will the Lakers get desperate and meet the Wizards’ asking price? Time will tell.