1. Lakers get Kyle Kuzma from the Wizards
The Lakers drafted Kuzma, and the 6’9 forward spent his first four NBA seasons in Los Angeles. He won a championship with the Lakers in 2020. LA is desperate to get back into the title picture with 39-year-old LeBron James, but do they bring back Kuzma to help them get there?
The Lakers traded him in the deal to get Russell Westbrook, which quickly became a regret. They are one game below .500 and sit 24th in offensive rating. Los Angeles desperately needs some scoring punch, and Kuzma is efficiently dropping 22.5 per game. This trade could bring the 28-year-old back.
The Lakers are expected to trade D’Angelo Russell before the Feb. 8 deadline, and Gabe Vincent has played in just five games since joining the franchise. The 6’2 guard won’t be back until late February, which could be too late. LA would be wise to trade them both for an upgrade before the deadline.
The Lakers could offer an unprotected first and two second-rounders to make this trade. That ensures the Wizards have some draft capital as they look to flip D-Lo and Vincent.
Will the Washington Wizards pull off a blockbuster before the trade deadline? They are rebuilding and should look to trade their veterans for young talent. Stay tuned to see if the Wizards can find the right deals and where their front office goes from here. It should be fascinating.