The 2020-21 season was a disappointing one for the Los Angeles Lakers. After winning the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the NBA Bubble, they couldn’t make it out of the first round in this year’s playoffs. The Phoenix Suns defeated the Lakers in six games and injuries played a big part in the Lakers’ letdown.
Los Angeles played large chunks of the season with their two best players, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Davis was injured again in the postseason, derailing any hopes the Lakers had at making an improbable run.
With their offseason beginning early, there have already been plenty of discussions about how Rob Pelinka will improve the team. Like any team James is on, they are in win-now mode and need players that will help them do that.
Short on draft capital or assets following the acquisition of AD, it will not be easy for the Lakers to upgrade their roster via trade, but you can be sure they will explore every avenue to do so. The biggest trade chip the team has is forward, Kyle Kuzma.
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Kuzma seems the likeliest player to be on the move to shake up the roster. With reports that he doesn’t get along with LeBron also surfacing, it is only a matter of time until he is with another team.
What kind of return package could the Lakers get for Kuzma? Here is the best player the team could acquire if they trade him away.