NBA Rumors: Lakers Could Get Coby White For Kyle Kuzma & Draft Picks In Hypothetical Trade
As suggested in a recently proposed trade idea, the Los Angeles Lakers could upgrade their backcourt with a promising talent by acquiring Coby White from the Chicago Bulls for forward Kyle Kuzma and two second-round picks — one each from the 2023 and 2024 draft classes.
As explained by NBA Analysis Network on Wednesday, Kuzma was able to “dodge a trade” during last year’s Anthony Davis deal, which forced Los Angeles to give up several other young players to the New Orleans Pelicans. However, the outlet stressed that the 25-year-old’s “luck could be running out,” given how he is widely seen as one of the most likely Lakers to be traded, either during the offseason or prior to this season’s deadline for midseason deals.
According to the publication, the Bulls are still lacking in “impact playmakers,” but might decide to move White — a youthful point guard who was picked in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft — instead of shipping more established stars such as Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen.
“This seems like a longshot given the fact that White is a young player who showed promise during his rookie season. If he doesn’t show to be the style of point guard the Bulls desire, there could be a shift in course.”
Should the deal become a reality, White will likely provide depth on a Lakers backcourt that recently added former Oklahoma City Thunder sixth man Dennis Schroder. The former North Carolina Tar Heels standout averaged 13.2 points as a rookie for the Bulls and showed continual improvement as the 2019-20 season progressed, though he shot only 39.2 percent from the field and registered just 2.7 assists per game, as shown on his Basketball-Reference page.
Talking about how Kuzma might benefit the Bulls if the proposed transaction pushes forward, NBA Analysis Network wrote that the Lakers forward has the ability to put up big scoring numbers and score from outside. However, the site predicted that he might have to continue coming off the bench and relieving Chicago’s forwards as the organization continues its search for a long-term playmaker.
Although the Lakers have made a number of changes to their roster to complement their superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, rumors have continued to swirl regarding the fate of Kuzma, as he has been mentioned in several other trade ideas in recent weeks. As reported by The Inquisitr, one of these suggested deals had the forward moving to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for another up-and-coming backcourt prospect in Derrick White.
