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As NBA trade season approaches, Kyle Kuzma's name continues to be tossed out there as a possible player who could be on the move. It's unclear what the Lakers could get in return for Kuzma, but rumors are flying that he could be out of Los Angeles before the trade deadline in February. While there is some basketball sense behind trading Kuzma, these trade rumors really took off after a known associate of his took shots at LeBron James on Instagram after the Lakers lost to the Clippers on Christmas.
Following that incident, former Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw said he thinks the Lakers will trade Kuzma, not only because of the trainer incident, but also because Kuz didn't sign with Rich Paul and Klutch. Long story short, there's tons of Kuzma trade smoke out there right now. With all of that in mind, the Complex Sports crew came up with five teams that should look into a Kyle Kuzma trade and what that team might have to offer the Lakers.
Sacramento Kings
The first real Kuzma trade rumor we saw was about a potential deal with the Sacramento Kings, where the Western Conference teams would flip Kuz for Bogdan Bogdanovich, though it was quickly shot down. Still, these teams have likely talked about a package involving Kuzma, which would be a good get for the young Kings team. For the Lakers, if they were actually able to pry Bogdan out of Sacramento, that would be a major win for LeBron and company.
New York Knicks
Most experts have pegged the Knicks as sellers during the upcoming trade deadline, and while it's unclear which players they might think about moving, getting a young player like Kyle Kuzma back in a deal would make a lot of sense. On the Lakers side, swinging a trade for someone like Marcus Morris could really boost up the Lakers depth. Of course, the money would be an obstacle here, with the Lakers having to attach a few other contracts in any deal to make it work.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have underachieved for most of the season, but have some interesting guys when it comes to the trade market. Everyone is of course wondering how long Karl-Anthony Towns will stick around in Minnesota, but for now, the Lakers targeting a guy like Robert Covington and offering up Kuzma in the deal would be interesting. The Wolves would get a younger piece to add to their core while the Lakers would add some depth to their rotation with a proven defender in Covington.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies already have one of the most exciting young cores in the NBA, and adding a guy like Kyle Kuzma would only add to that. For the Lakers, this one is pretty obvious. They've long been rumored to be after Andre Iguodala and dangling Kuzma in the deal might actually get it done. Adding Iggy to the Lakers doesn't really need much explanation. He's a champion and proven commodity that would add some solid depth in Los Angeles.
Detroit Pistons
It certainly seems like the Pistons are going to be sellers at the deadline this year. Blake Griffin just had surgery and Andre Drummond appears on his way out. While the Lakers won't be after either of those guys, Derrick Rose seems like an obvious target for the Purple & Gold. They desperately need an upgrade from Rajon Rondo, and Rose is in the middle of a great season. It's unclear what the Pistons would want back in return, but as they start a rebuild, adding a player like Kuzma could be a valuable piece for them going forward.