“It’s hard to score when you don’t touch the ball…Kyle got two shots in the first half, both with two seconds on the shot clock. Kuzma can play, we just gotta involve him and we gotta make sure to keep him involved,” explained Doc Rivers.

Doc Rivers took the blame for Kyle Kuzma’s poor performance. However, it is hard to ignore that he produced nothing in 21 minutes. Even Pat Connaughton, who played just 1:22, managed to score three points. That comparison makes Kuzma’s NBA performance even more disappointing.

The Milwaukee Bucks’ disappointing performance adds weight to a growing belief. Damian Lillard’s return could be the spark they need to avoid falling into a bad streak. Giannis Antetokounmpo is carrying the entire offense. Without a teammate like Lillard, a poor performance like Kyle Kuzma’s becomes even more costly.

However, critics are focusing only on Kuzma. They are ignoring a larger problem. No other Bucks player besides Giannis scored more than 15 points. That is especially frustrating in Brook Lopez’s case. He finished with only 9 points and 4 rebounds. If the Bucks want to win this series, more players must step up. This is where Doc Rivers needs to find answers and shift the momentum.

Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts to Bucks’ performance after tough loss to Pacers

The Milwaukee Bucks won only the third quarter in their game against the Indiana Pacers. They got dominated in the first half and could not recover in the final stretch. The team lacked energy and execution early on, which allowed Indiana to take control. Despite the loss, Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered an outstanding performance. He led all players in key statistics and stayed aggressive throughout the game.

However, the Bucks’ star didn’t focus on his individual numbers. Instead, he acknowledged the team’s poor showing and addressed what needs to improve moving forward. “The way we played tonight, at times, wasn’t us. I think we’re gonna be better. In the second half, we were better… Hopefully, it can carry over to the next game,” affirmed Giannis.

This is only the first game of the series, and the Bucks still have a chance to bounce back. However, they must improve a lot as a team to turn the series around. The Pacers have one clear strength, though: their balance. That could make the difference if Milwaukee does not respond quickly.

After winning the title in the 2019-2020 season, the Lakers fell short in the following year, leading to a major shakeup. Kyle Kuzma, along with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell, were traded to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Westbrook.

Reflecting on the trade, Kuzma shared his thoughts during an interview with ALL-STAR Magazine: “It’s tough because they kind of gave up on me and that team a little too early,” Kuzma said. “I think they panicked a bit. But in the NBA, things happen fast. You never know what’s coming next. It’s always a revolving door, and we had a rough stretch, so it happens.“

Kuzma also touched on the difficulties the Lakers faced during their title defense. “We were up 2-1 in the playoffs, and Anthony Davis got hurt, and things fell apart,” Kuzma added. “That 2020-21 season was tough for us—LeBron got hurt, AD was down, and we had a lot of different lineups. Coming off the bubble championship in October and starting the next season just two months later was hard. But if AD stayed healthy, we would’ve won back-to-back.”

Kuzma on learning from LeBron and AD

Despite his exit, Kuzma remains grateful for his time alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. In an interview with SB Nation’s Nicole Ganglani, Kuzma explained how playing with the two superstars shaped his career.

“Everything—how to be a pro, how to motivate people, how to work, how to be a businessman—those were some of the most important lessons of my life,” Kuzma said. “I took a backseat to really watch and learn. Everything I learned then, I’m applying now, and I’m trying to pass it on to others.”

Dwight Howard criticizes Rob Pelinka for breaking up the team

Former Lakers center Dwight Howard also weighed in on the team’s decision to break up their championship roster. On his podcast Above The Rim with DH12, Howard, took aim at Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, suggesting that the team could have repeated as champions if they had kept the core intact.

“After we won, they started tweaking the roster,” Howard said. “I’mma tell you who it was—Rob Pelinka, man. Rob, why did you do that to us?” I still love you, Rob, but man, we had the squad. If we had run it back, we would’ve been healthier and had a shot at another title.”

Kyle Kuzma played a crucial role for the Lakers during their 2020 championship run. Despite a rocky start with the team, Kuzma eventually found his stride and learned invaluable lessons from the team’s stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Reflecting on his time with the Lakers, Kuzma credits his special experience alongside James and Davis as one of the most significant periods of his life. Speaking to Nicole Ganglani of SB Nation, Kuzma shared:

“Everything—how to be a pro. How to motivate people, how to work, how to be a businessman, so many things. And I think that was one of the most important times of my life—taking a backseat and really watching and learning. And I think everything I’ve done then, I’m doing now, and trying to pay it forward and give it to people, too.”

Lakers’ 2020 path to glory

In 2019, the Lakers assembled a roster around LeBron James that was built to contend for a championship. That year, they acquired key players like Anthony Davis, Danny Green, Rajon Rondo, and Dwight Howard, all of whom played pivotal roles in securing the title.

The Lakers finished the regular season atop the standings and carried that dominance into the NBA Playoffs. They defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets, each by a 4-1 margin, before overcoming the Miami Heat 4-2 in the Finals to claim their 17th NBA championship.

Most players are still young, though, and they knew things would get hard after parting ways with Kristaps Porzingis and Bradley Beal. Then again, they expected more from Jordan Poole, arguably the most disappointing player in the league this season.

With Poole’s trade value plummetting all the way to the basement, Kyle Kuzma has emerged as the lone valuable trade asset ahead of the trade deadline. According to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, they could even try to fetch a couple of first-round picks for his services:

“League sources peg Kuzma’s current price tag to be something in the vein of two first-round picks or equivalent value. I’m skeptical another team will meet that price, so we’ll see if the Wizards have any wiggle room or if the marketplace substantially changes before February,” Vecenie wrote.

NBA Rumors: 3 Potential Landing Spots For Kyle Kuzma

Even if the asking price seems too high, Kuzma is an above-average defender, a three-level scorer, and has enough length, size, and mobility to hold his own all over the frontcourt. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three teams that could use him right now.

3. Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are going to be in the mix for almost every player who’s available. They desperately crave a roster overhaul, but they’re not likely to give up a lot of assets to land a big name, meaning they could and should target some mid-tier players, such as Kuzma.

Andrew Wiggins has fallen behind in the pecking order, and replacing him with Kuzma would allow the Warriors to deploy an all-shooters lineup. He’s also a more athletic PF than Dario Saric, who has struggled to stay in front of smaller players at times.

2. Los Angeles Lakers

Kuzma already found success with the Los Angeles Lakers. He got paid there and helped them win an NBA championship, although he later admitted that leaving Southern California was the best for his long-term development as a player. Then again, he’d gladly welcome a move back.

The Lakers have been a mess defensively this season, and Kuzma could help in that regard. He could also give them another three-point shooter and a guy who could legitimately spread the floor. Also, he already knows how to play and mesh with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

1. Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are reportedly targeting Pascal Siakam, but he has refused to commit to re-signing with them. They also want an upgrade over Harrison Barnes, and that’s why Kuzma could be a bit of a seamless fit for this team and its run-and-gun offense.

The Kings were interested in Kuzma years ago. He was almost traded there for Buddy Hield when the Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook, so they already like him and believe he could be a solid fit with this current core of players. They’d have a jumbo lineup with him next to Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis.

There has been a major improvement in one season for the Sacramento Kings. After years of irrelevant play, they finally found their way under the Coach of the Year Mike Brown to maximize their talented roster.

De’Andre Fox has always been a player with huge potential surrounded by an underwhelming cast. However, that changed dramatically last season. The trade for Domanta Sabonis in 2022 was complemented by the recent hiring of a great coach to get them near their real ceiling.

Sacramento had a very early exit from the playoffs losing to the Golden State Warriors in the first round, but the regular season was great. The third place they got in the Western Conference was a sample of what they can do. Now they might add a champion to the mix.

The Sacramento Kings might land Kyle Kuzma

Being eliminated in the first round was disappointing considering the Kings were the third seeded team. However, that had a lot to do with facing an unstoppable Stephen Curry. But taking them to Game 7 showed they only need a couple of depth pieces to make a deep postseason run.

Kyle Kuzma declined his player option with the Washington Wizards, so he is going to be an unrestricted free agent. The Kings targeting him has “gained plenty of momentum”, according to Jake Fisher of Yahoo Sports. The salary is something that remains unknown, but it has to be mentioned that the year remaining on his contract that he rejected was worth 13M.

Kuzma has very meaningful experience despite being just 27 years old. He was a champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in the bubble during the 2019-2020 season. Another enticing aspect in his resume is having played next to LeBron James, something that could help for close games.

To say the Dallas Mavericks left a lot to be desired this season is an understatement. While LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers made the NBA Conference Finals against all odds, Luka Doncic and company didn’t even make the playoffs.

The Mavs were one of the biggest disappointments of the year, since they were expected to go much further after trading for Kyrie Irving. The good news is the team plans to learn from this to come back stronger.

As long as Doncic is in Dallas, they will always have reasons for optimism. So, it’s safe to say they won’t stop until they help Luka succeed. According to reports, the Mavericks are considering the idea of signing a former champion with LeBron in LA.

Rumor: Mavs could sign Kyle Kuzma

Matt Moore of Action Network reports that the Dallas Mavericks are among a group of teams interested in Kyle Kuzma, who will become a free agent after declining a player option with the Washington Wizards.

“The Jazz and Mavericks are among the teams known to have interest in Kuzma, with the Jazz said to be one of the few teams willing to put up big money in various talks early on,” said Moore.

Kuzma was part of the Lakers’ team that won the 2020 championship in the Orlando bubble, leaving LA in 2021 as part of the Russell Westbrook trade. The 27-year-old is expected to draw plenty of interest in the open market, so the Mavs would face competition.

Even though it’s been a long time, basketball fans can still remember pretty well the 2020 NBA championship LeBron James won with the Los Angeles Lakers. First of all, it’s quite hard to forget the Orlando bubble.

But the reason this playoff run lives long in many people’s memory is that it was The King‘s fourth ring with a different team. Previously, James won titles with the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But nothing was the same for that team after the bubble, and the Lakers eventually had to reshape practically the entire roster. Some of those players managed to shine outside LA, though. If not, look at Kyle Kuzma.

Kyle Kuzma reportedly chasing lucrative contract in free agency

According to Matt Moore of Action Network, Kuzma is looking for a team willing to pay him $30 million per season. Whether he’ll get what he wants remains to be seen, but the 27-year-old won’t be lacking in suitors.

Kuzma could return to the Washington Wizards, though the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Dallas Mavericks are also understood to be interested. Additionally, a reunion with LeBron in LA could also be on the cards. Like with any free agent, it’s never that easy to tell.

And with the Washington Wizards blowing it up by trading Bradley Beal away, it wasn’t much of a surprise to see Kyle Kuzma opting out of his contract to become a free agent.

With that in mind, Alex Kirschenbaum of Sports Illustrated believes that the Lakers could be interested in a reunion with the Utah product, who’d be an upgrade over Rui Hachimura.

NBA Rumors: Lakers Could Pursue Kyle Kuzma

“It’s reportedly possible Kuzma could seek a reunion with the Lakers, who shipped him out to the Wizards as part of their disastrous deal for ex-All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook in the summer of 2021,” wrote Kirschenbaum.

“Given that he’s essentially a better version of younger incumbent combo forward Rui Hachimura (a former Wiz teammate of Kuzma’s), one wonders if the Lakers would renounce their rights to the restricted free agent and let him walk to accommodate a Kuz reunion,“ the report added.

Kuzma admitted that he needed to get away from L.A. to break out and be at his best, and he had a borderline All-Star season. Then again, he might look to go back to the Lakers and pursue another ring, even if that means taking a lesser role again.

But it’s been three years since that feat, and the team went through a lot in between. The Lakers once again got close to the NBA Finals this season, but with a completely different roster.

Most of the 2020 champions are no longer in LA, with some particular cases such as Dwight Howard, who took his talents to Taiwan. On Wednesday, another member of that team decided to explore the open market.

Kyle Kuzma to hit free agency three years after NBA ring with Lakers

NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Kyle Kuzma declined his $13 million player option with the Washington Wizards and will therefore become a free agent.

The former first-rounder is expected to draw plenty of interest on the market, though he could stay in the capital city after all. The Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers, for instance, have already been linked with a potential move for Kuzma.

However, he’s also been linked with a potential return to the Lakers. The destination of a free agent is always a guessing game, but Kuzma has clearly become a better player in Washington.

The 2022-23 NBA season didn’t go as many predicted. The Phoenix Suns, for instance, were expected to contend after they traded for Kevin Durant, while no one thought the Los Angeles Lakers would make the Conference Finals.

Now that the playoffs are officially over, the rumor mill starts to take center stage, and both the Suns and Lakers are teams to watch this offseason. Phoenix has a legitimate chance to win, but it has to make the rights moves.

Owner Mat Ishbia has immediately shown his intention to build a successful team, but it looks like he’ll have to continue working for it. According to reports, the Suns could go after a former champion in LA this summer.

Rumor: Suns considering trade for Kyle Kuzma

Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints claims that Kyle Kuzma could be on the Phoenix Suns’ radar this offseason. A former champion with the Purple and Gold in 2020, Kuzma could become an unrestricted free agent by opting out of his contract in Washington.

With Bradley Beal reportedly on his way out, Kuzma could follow suit and leave the Wizards ahead of the 2023-24 season. In that case, Siegel reports the Suns could become a “prime” landing spot.

“Expected to see a new contract that will pay him well over $20 million per year, landing Kuzma seems impossible for the Suns to do via straight-up signing in free agency, which is why a sign-and-trade scenario would need to be explored,” Siegel wrote.

“Could Washington be interested in bringing in Ayton and building with him if they were to go through a rebuild? This would be the most likely path for Kuzma to land in Phoenix this offseason, especially since the Suns could look to expand this trade scenario with one of the Wizards veteran guards in Monte Morris and Delon Wright, both of whom are entering the final years of their respective contracts.“

Should Kuzma hit the open market this offseason, he shouldn’t be lacking in suitors. At 27, he can still be an important contributor for a team with serious aspirations. Besides, he knows Frank Vogel from their time together in LA.

The Lakers straightened the ship, and Darvin Ham looks like the right guy to lead this team going forward. But they still need to make some minor tweaks and adjustments to their roster.

So, with the offseason right in front of them and LeBron James entering the back end of his prime, we take a look at three potential candidates they should consider in free agency.

NBA Rumors: 3 Potential Free Agents For The Lakers

3. Kyle Kuzma

Austin Reaves has been outstanding for this team. He’s not an elite defender, but he sure puts in the work on that end of the floor. And he’s proven to be a streaky shooter as well.

However, Kyle Kuzma is already familiar to playing with LeBron James, and having him would give them an elite burst of offense off the bench with Reaves as their Sixth Man. Kuzma is the 3-and-D wing they need right now.

2. Draymond Green

It’s not a secret that Draymond Green is LeBron James’ No. 1 fan. He’s also represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, who’re also in charge of Anthony Davis’ affairs.

Green is one of the most intelligent defenders and playmakers this game has ever seen. He could allow them to go small if (when) Davis is hurt or struggling, and he’d give them another offense initiator.

1. Kyrie Irving

And last but not least, we find Kyrie Irving. Irving wanted to be a Los Angeles Laker, but Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai shut that down and sent him to the Dallas Mavericks as punishment instead.

Irving already knows what it’s like to pursue and win a championship with James by his side, and he’d give them a major upgrade over the ever-srtuggling D’Angelo Russell, both as a scorer and a passer.