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Former Laker Traded to Eastern Conference Contender Before Deadline

Former Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma was traded by the Washington Wizards to one of the top Eastern Conference teams on Wednesday.

By Devon Platana

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) holds the ball as Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) defends in the second half at Capital One Arena.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) holds the ball as Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) defends in the second half at Capital One Arena. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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The 2024-25 NBA trade deadline is just over 24 hours away, meaning it's only a matter of time before the floodgates open. As Los Angeles Lakers fans wait to see if general manager Rob Pelinka has another move up his sleeve, one of the franchise's former players just found out he'll be spending the remainder of the season in a new city.

Lakers News: Wizards Trade Kyle Kuzma to Bucks for Khris Middleton

On Wednesday morning, NBA insider Shams Charania announced that the Washington Wizards have traded ex-Laker Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr., and a second-round selection to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Khris Middleton, A.J. Johnson, and a draft pick swap.

Lakers fans will remember Kuzma from the four seasons he played in L.A. after being drafted 27th overall in 2017. The former Utah Ute averaged 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game with the Lakers with his biggest achievement being the role he played in the 2019-20 NBA Championship run.

Just under a year after signing a $40 million extension with the Lakers, Kuzma was traded to the Wizards as a part of the Russell Westbrook deal in August 2021. The veteran forward showed major improvements after moving to D.C., averaging 20.2 PPG in his first three seasons with Washington.

Unfortunately, Kuzma's offensive production dropped off the earth this season. The Flint, MI native only averaged 15.2 points on a career-worst .420/.281/.602 shooting splits in 32 games with the Wizards this season, prompting his being traded to the Bucks.

It'll be interesting to see if joining a playoff-bound team helps Kuzma turn things around. The Wizards are currently dead-last in the NBA with a putrid 8-41 record, whereas the Bucks (26-22) occupy the East's No. 5 seed, giving the struggling veteran an incentive to step things up.

Los Angeles fans will have two opportunities down the stretch to see Kuzma face off against the franchise that drafted him. The Lakers will be traveling to Milwaukee for a road game on March 13 before eventually hosting the Bucks at Crypto.com Arena exactly one week later.

In the meantime, time will tell if any more Lakers-related trades are pulled off. This year's NBA trade deadline officially goes into effect at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday.

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