NBA Trade Rumors: Kyle Kuzma from the LA Lakers could give the Sacramento Kings an offensive boost
The Sacramento Kings finished 12th in the Western Conference in 2019-20, missing out on the NBA playoffs for the 14th season in a row. The franchise are in desperate need of a spark that could help propel them to the playoffs after a long wait. The Sacramento Kings do have some talented young players, none more so than De'Aaron Fox, but they need to add more quality to their roster. A few NBA trade rumors have offered the fans some hope, but most of them seem to revolve around outgoings.
The Sacramento Kings ranked 22nd in the NBA in points per game, so they could do with another scoring option. Kyle Kuzma from the LA Lakers would help greatly, especially if the Kings lose Bogdan Bogdanovic this off-season.
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NBA Trade Rumors: The LA Lakers and the Sacramento Kings to revisit Bogdan Bogdanovic deal
Earlier this season when the trade window was open, the LA Lakers were thought to be heavily interested in Bogdan Bogdanovic of the Sacramento Kings.
Bogdanovic averaged a career-high 15.1 points per game this season along with 3.4 rebounds and as many assists. He is an excellent shooter, knocking down threes with an efficiency of 37.4%.
The 28-year-old Serbian, who is a restricted free-agent this off-season, has a qualifying offer worth around $10 million. Irrespective of whether the LA Lakers win the NBA title this season or not, they need to improve their squad over the off-season because the other contenders are certain to do the same.
Kyle Kuzma career statistics
Career points per game - 16.0
Career assists per game - 1.9
Career rebounds per game - 5.5
Career field goal % - 44.9
Career 3-pt % - 33.1.
One player the Sacramento Kings would be hoping to get back in the trade is 6'8" forward Kyle Kuzma. A member of the 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie team, Kuzma, is undoubtedly a talented offensive player. When he finds his rhythm, he can be absolutely lethal.
He can score in a variety of ways ranging from post-ups to three-pointers. The 25-year-old forward averaged a fabulous 18.7 points per game last season, doing so with 45% efficiency. Since the arrival of Anthony Davis, that number has dipped to just 12.8 points, though.
Nevertheless, Kyle Kuzma has shown that he can be dangerous when he gets to take a chunk of the field goal attempts and is deployed as the focal point in offense.
As he isn't as good playing off the ball, the Sacramento Kings could give him a primary scorer's duty. His former coach Luke Walton, under whom the player thrived the most, will also be there in Sacramento Kings, which is another factor that would help Kyle Kuzma's cause.
NBA Trade Rumors: What would a deal between the LA Lakers and the Sacramento Kings look like?
Assuming that Bogdan Bogdanovic agrees to a sign-and-trade, the LA Lakers will also need to include someone like Avery Bradley or JaVale McGee to balance the salaries in this trade.
With Bogdanovic, the LA Lakers would get some much needed hot shooting, something they have lacked this season.On the other hand, the Sacramento Kings would get a talented scorer in Kyle Kuzma, one on whom their coach has a lot of faith in.
If the trade works out, the Sacramento Kings could have a star to pair De'Aaron Fox with.
Also Read: NBA Trade Rumors: The dream starting-5 for the LA Lakers going into the 2020-21 season.