Moments before the Los Angeles Lakers finalized a deal to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards, all signs pointed to L.A. making a deal with the Sacramento Kings.
With the Lakers looking to bring more playmaking and shooting, a deal involving Kings shooting guard Buddy Hield seemed to be materializing and in the final stages of completion since L.A. was willing to include its 2021 first-round pick.
But, before both teams could submit the trade, the Wizards jumped in front and offered L.A. Westbrook for a similar package that L.A. would’ve shipped out for Hield.
The finals terms for the Los Angeles-Washington trade saw Westbrook and three future second-round picks come to the Lakers while Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the 2021 first-round pick traveled to the Eastern Conference.
It was a frantic process for the players involved, and Kuzma explained his thoughts as the situation unfolded, via fubo Sports:
“I was kinda shocked because I thought I was going to Sac, like the Sacramento deal with Buddy Hield. That s— was done. So, I’m thinking in my head, ‘Okay, I’m in Sac, 45-minute flight. Not bad. I can go to Napa.’ But then, out of nowhere, you’re going to Washington. But I was super hype, obviously, because it’s a better situation.”
After four seasons with the Lakers, Kuzma gradually developed the tools to be a solid all-around contributor alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Now with Washington, he’s in the mix with several promising wings and forwards, so he’ll need to show the flashes from his first two seasons in L.A. to be a key factor alongside Bradley Beal.
