NBA Rumors: Kuzma Will Only Leave Lakers For A Top Gun

The Los Angeles Lakers have plenty of young stars expected to become bonafide superstars in the near future, one of them being Kyle Kuzma. And while the 23-year-old has gotten over the February NBA trade deadline fiasco, there is still a chance that his name may be linked in the near future.

From all indications, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Kuzma’s name would crop up again in NBA trade rumors this summer. But this early, general manager Rob Pelinka has already told the 27th pick of the 2017 NBA Draft that the only way he would be shipped is if included one of the game’s three best players, The Athletic reported.

In the same report, Pelinka allegedly told Kuzma that he was key to the Lakers’ future. However, there is a hitch to all of this and there is a likelihood that he may be included in a blockbuster deal that would likely include Anthony Davis once more.

Despite falling short last February, it would not be surprising to see Pelinka and the Lakers opening up talks on The Brow this NBA offseason. Given that Los Angeles does not have that many valuable assets to give, the likelihood of seeing Kuzma being included in trade packages holds high probability.

But what if the second round of talks fail to materialize once more? How will Kuzma respond assuming he ends up staying in Hollywood? In fact, the same holds true for other players like Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart.

It is a scenario the Lakers will have to deal with. Kuzma understood what the Lakers were up to when they tried to lure Davis in February. He took it as a professional but his level of patience may not necessarily hold up the second time around.

Regardless, there is no question that Kuzma has proven that he has the potential to be an NBA star, Lakers Nation reported. The only question now is whether it will be with the Lakers or some other NBA team.

Kuzma may want to check out past Lakers youngsters who have gone on to come out of their shell. D’Angelo Russell is now making waves with the Brooklyn Nets while Julius Randle has been holding up well with the Pelicans. Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. seem to be doing fine with the Cavs as well.

In short, most of the young players the Lakers were able to pluck off the NBA Draft have gone on to thrive with other ballclubs. And from the looks of it, Kuzma is likely to blossom as well – assuming the Lakers fail to put him to good use on the basketball court.