NBA Trade Deadline 2020: 5 Kyle Kuzma trades that could help the Lakers

1. Ro-Co to SoCal

Robert Covington might be the top target at the NBA trade deadline for the Lakers but that doesn’t mean that he’s a lock to be headed to Los Angeles. He’s obviously a player the Minnesota Timberwolves favor a great deal and it’s hard not to, considering what he brings to the table. At the same time though, Covington might not be the best fit for where the Timberwolves are right now with the development of the team centered on Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.

With the second-worst record in the Western Conference, the Timberwolves aren’t exactly in line to be a playoff contender anytime soon. Trading for the 24-year-old Kyle Kuzma as opposed to continuing to pay the 29-year-old Covington handsomely seemingly would be more in tune with what the future holds for Minnesota, allowing Kuzma to develop further with Towns and Wiggins as a strong, young core.

For the Lakers, Covington could be an ideal fit for what they need on their roster down the stretch. His outside shooting prowess is greatly needed to space the floor in Los Angeles. Even though he’s shooting 34.8 percent on his 3-point attempts this season, he’s a career 35.9 percent shooter from deep and shot over 37 percent last year.

Additionally, Covington could be a tremendous help defensively, aiding James in locking down some of the talented wings in the Western Conference that they’ll face in the playoffs. When you take all of that into consideration, it seems that a Lakers-Timberwolves swap of Kuzma and Covington with some cap filler would be in the best interest of both franchises.