Your argument makes no sense. Teams have been reportedly interested with Kuzma. His value is quite high for someone whos production is low. He hasn't fit with the Lakers and as I've stated before, a new role with more opportunities for Kuzma could see him being a 20 PPG scorer again albeit, on a bad team but if we can improve our roster and also find a way to remove 1-3 roster spots for players like Collison, Iguodala, etc., we should highly consider it. I'm not saying we trade Kuzma for a bag of chips. Mainly, my point is he's our most likely piece to be traded because no other player on our roster has much trade value outside of LeBron, AD, and possibly Caruso and Dwight. If we are to make a trade, Kuzma is likely the first to be mentioned. I'm not even concerned about trading him. If we don't, fine. We've played well with him playing putrid. But if the objective is to build a better roster, it starts with trading Kuzma. You and I know that. We aren't going to be getting a player that can help us by offering Cook, Daniels, Rondo, Dudley, etc., Those are players we will have to try and include in a trade with Kuzma to make salaries match. But really, I've noticed how you have not yet found a way to speak about Kuzma's lack of progression (other than his "improved defense." What is he doing out there that you DO like? Because there isn't anything to be happy about. Someone said we shouldn't have to play AD and LeBron 38 minutes per game when we're up 20-30 points. Correct. The reason we are is because guys like Kuzma aren't stepping up. Well, Rondo is the issue, yeah? Last I checked, no one ever attributed KCP, Caruso, Dwight, Bradley, and Green's performances with Rondo. Why does Kuzma always get that excuse? I know why: Because many of you are still stuck trying to give Kuzma every excuse in the book. Wait, he's not healthy? Just wait a month. He's healthy and now it's Rondo's fault? C'mon, coaches aren't dumb. Frank has been on record of taking film very serious and calls players out. The reason why we still have to depend on Rondo is because Kuzma isn't capable of stepping up. It's just the darn truth. If he has shown any ounce of being able to do so, why would a coach voluntarily stick with Rondo? Heck, why are the Lakers so active in trying to find another playmaker?
We trade Kuzma because he has the most value on the team who isn't a star player or a big contributor. He has a low salary and you wouldnt have to worry about signing him until the end of next year. Potential is his tag right now still. Lakers do not have time for potential. They thought he could mesh with the stars but he isn't. He is mentally out game in and game out. He misses lay ups and open shots regularly. That isn't a talent issue, it's a focus issue. Why do you think BI is a 25 point scorer yet when he played the Lakers, he was building a brick house? Because he is a stat player not a player who makes W's. Everyone in here was crying about Julius Randle being let go for nothing, I kept telling you guys he was a role player whom did not do anything for a team that needs to win. And that has been proven correct while he was in New Orleans and even more in New York. Kuzma COULD work his talent in being the 6th man of the year on a title team, or he can be a solid starter on a bad to middle tier team. But a 3rd star on a lebron and AD team where they are going into each year with title hopes? Doesn't look like that is gonna happen. I wanted to give him the year but if the Lakers can get that 3rd guy who can cover lebron when he is on the bench, you make that deal, even if Kuzma turns into a stud in a few years. I would rather risk that and get the right role player for the next two years and win a title or 2. My only focus as a fan is banner 18. I want to be alive when the Lakers pass the C Bags in titles.
Sacramento is among the teams that has tried to engage the Lakers in Kyle Kuzma trade talks, league sources say. The Kings know they would have to include sharpshooter (and soon-to-be restricted free agent) Bogdan Bogdanovic, for starters, in a Kuzma deal Luke wants Kuz ,I like Kuz ,but will do that trade yesterday
Still no Lakers fan able to explain what Kuzma does but the upvotes keep coming. Hysterical. It's not about getting a third option player for Kuz. It's about making the team better and that begins and ends with trading Kuzma as he is the only positive trade asset we have.
I agree to an extent, but his role shouldn't be effecting his propensity to miss wide open shots over and over again. His role also shouldn't effect his carelessness with the ball. Maybe he's not quite as sharp as he figures out his new role, but he's doing things that a 24 year old who's played basketball all his life shouldn't be doing whether he's the first option on an NBA team, or a 4th option at the YMCA.
Probably because if you don't know what Kuz does/can do by now, explaining it would be a waste of time. Sign collison and jeff green and we are all set for a deep playoff run. No need to trade a player who is outplaying his contract.
Easy with your broad brush and energy there tiger. You think you're onto something there all by yourself? Maybe there's no better "value" for his salary and filler from our roster that some people here would be interested in, especially at his Size .... so no knee jerk trading frenzy from them? And maybe Kuz still turns it around. Could happen. KCP was getting murdered here the whole start of the season and then something clicked in and he started performing and we all went the I always liked KCP tongue in cheek route within a couple weeks. I'd also just "imagine" that if we keep Kuz and do score Collison or Augustin that actually try to facilitate for the squad as opposed to mainly AD and Lebron .... that Kuz will benefit greatly and it will show.
Caruso should be a good indication on how important it is to make sound and smart decisions on the court. These are things Rondo and Kuzma don't do. They make too many mistakes they shouldn't make. They are usually momentum mistakes that give the other team enough mo to go on runs. One step forward, 2 steps back situation.
If traded Kuz will begin eating meat in Sacto, becomes healthy and returns to 1st year Kuz with something to prove. In the meantime he is Hollywood Kuz a weak kneed wanker
I blame the blond hair. He had the 3 good games with it finally looking normal and short for about 10 days after it looking whack in various ways all year.
Lebron is just THAT good and Rondo is just THAT bad. However we need a guy who just can maintain leads when Bron sits and a better 3rd option ... and Kuz even without Rondo isn't that guy
that guy isn't walking through that door this season, imo. meantime, the evidence against rondo has gotten so strong that i think vogel's going to have to do something if the FO doesn't handle it for him. it's a delicate situation, though, as he seems popular with our stars.
Rondo has no business to be on the court right now. He is probably still useful in the locker room but he sucks azz on the court. I would rather have all his minutes go to Caruso until we find a player that can actually playmake because Caruso is a below average playmaker for a PG.
it's not just him being useful in the locker room, it's how nuclear he can get when he feels disrespected. it's dangerous getting in bed with rondo, which is why i was against it from the beginning. you can't sit him. he freaks out and undermines the coach. anyway, this is the kuzma thread, and i was just agreeing that him playing so much with rondo is killing his measurables and his game in general. but really, anyone not playing most of their minutes with lebron is looking this way, as we discussed in the other thread.
Waste of time explaining it. When he continues playing like junk, watch all the "TRADE KUZ" comments start appearing as they have been for the majority of the games he has played. My only point is Kuz has got to go if we want to make a trade with ANY of our players. And that's simply a fact. But because Kuz is "outplaying" (What does that even mean? He's a below average player right now), we're supposed to ignore how awful he has been. Worst shooting efficiency of his career, way below average PER, worst WS of his career. No one can explain how exactly he is outplaying his contract. We're simply playing Kuzma because we have no choice. He hasn't deserved those minutes.
