Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma has been a revelation in his first two seasons in the NBA. But despite his talent, he has been involved in several trade rumors.
And now that the Purple and Gold are winning, Kuz said that it feels good not to be involved in what he called “annoying” trade speculations, per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
“It's a lot less stressful going home every night when you win than when you are losing. It brings a lot more joy to you,” Kuzma explained.
After the Lakers acquired LeBron James last summer, there were rumblings around the league that the team's once-celebrated young core of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Kuzma will be traded. The team was in search of a second superstar to pair with the four-time MVP, and by the trade deadline, it was clear that the front office was willing to do what it takes to get one.
That is when the Lakers started to negotiate with the New Orleans Pelicans, who got a trade request from All-NBA forward Anthony Davis. The trade didn't happen at the deadline, but LA was still able to acquire AD this summer in exchange for Ingram, Ball, Josh Hart and a plethora of draft picks.
The Lakers, however, didn't want to include Kuzma in any trade package for Davis. They believed that he could be the missing piece in forming a Big Three in the City of Angeles.
Kuzma's numbers are down this season, as he's only averaging 11.3 points and 3.4 rebounds. His struggles can be attributed to his ankle injuries though, since it caused him to miss nine of the Lakers' first 30 games this season.
It will be interesting to see if Kuzma does stick with the Lakers or if he will be traded sometime in the future, especially since they are still keeping an eye on Memphis Grizzlies swingman Andre Iguodala.