1. What is the future of Kyle Kuzma?
Kyle Kuzma is a fine young player but it’s hard to argue that perceptions of his value are not inflated by things like the Lakers not trading him in the Anthony Davis deal, and legends like LeBron and Kobe Bryant expressing support for him. If you separate all that from the product on the court you’re left with a high-volume scorer who is not particularly efficient, without the outside shooting to really pressure the defense or the creation ability to open opportunities for others. He’s not a finished project but the idea that he’s a future star seems increasingly far-fetched and the friction in his fit as a supporting player next to LeBron and Davis takes some of the shine off as well.
If the Lakers are going to make a move to increase their title odds right now, Kuzma is really their one chip. While they’d surely like to get more than this, the speed with which the Kings shut down the rumors about a Bogdanovic swap are an indication that the market may not be as rosy as they or many fans expect.
Here, they get additional wing depth — Bullock is the shooter Cook hasn’t been, Trier is not an elite defender but a physical off-the-dribble creator in place of the nothing Avery Bradley offers on offense. Dennis Smith Jr. is the one bit of hypothetical future value the Lakers add. He’s been a disappointment in two stops but has immense physical talents and still plenty of time to become something different.