NBA Rumors: Lakers May Need To Upgrade From Kuzma Soon

KEY POINTS

Kyle Kuzma continues to struggle for the Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers could skim the market for a defender or shooter
Kuzma's spate of injuries has placed him in a precarious situation

The Los Angeles Lakers may have suffered their first back-to-back losses this season but this is not expected to raise the alarm as of yet. Instead, the purple and gold may want to take a second look at their roster and see who is effective and who is not.

Skimming the roster, there is one guy who has been struggling badly - Kyle Kuzma. The 24-year-old is coming off an injury and has yet to settle down. In 20 games, the 6-foot-8 cager has averaged only 11.1 points and 3.4 rebounds. Defensively, he is also far from the same player who performed well last season. Could it be because of the souped-up lineup or Frank Vogel's system?

Brian Windhorst of ESPN made an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast of the Ringer recently and suggested that Kuzma could be traded at some point. He pointed out the production of the 27th overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft and singled out the kind of players that thrive alongside LeBron James - defenders and shooters.

With the criticism he made on Kuzma, it inadvertently headed towards a potential trade. And the guy who Windhorst believes the Lakers could aim for is Bogdan Bogdanovic who currently plays for the Sacramento Kings but is on an expiring deal.

It is no secret that the Lakers do need shooters to make life easier for James and Anthony Davis. Danny Green has been living up to expectations but adding some more long bombers would be better.

As for Kuzma, his real worth may be hindered by the fact that he has to co-exist with vets and certified NBA stars. Most know how the likes of D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle broke out of their shell, unleashing their potential playing for different teams. If he does get traded away, the same could happen to Kuzma.

With the NBA trade deadline fast approaching, anything can happen. Kuzma is the lone young star the Lakers kept after the Davis trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. Kuzma missed the Lakers game against the Milwaukee Bucks due to a right ankle injury, the LA Times reported. The longer he stays out of the rotation, speculations should grow further on what (and where) his future will be.