Hardwood Houdini Proposed Trade: Lakers <> Celtics

[td450]

In one of their 27 articles per day about the Cs, HH proposed this yesterday:

Celtics Get: Kyle Kuzma, 22nd Overall Pick
Lakers Get:Tristan Thompson, Romeo Langford, 2022 Second Round Pick, 2023 Second Round Pick

Their rationale was this:

This trade would help out both teams. The Lakers get a bit more flexibility, while the Boston Celtics get back in the first-round.

Kyle Kuzma gets made fun of a lot, but he actually had a great season last year. He averaged 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.

Better yet, Kuzma shot 44.3 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from deep. He would provide quality bench minutes at the wing/power forward positions.

Rumors have swirled that the Lakers could look to move Kuzma this offseason. This is a decent return for them.

The Lakers are in need of a quality center, and Tristan Thompson brings championship experience. He played with LeBron James in 2016, and there would be a sense of familiarity as well.

Frank Vogel couldn’t play Montrezl Harrell or Andre Drummond in the playoffs. Thompson gives them a veteran big man that can play when it matters most.

Romeo Langford gives them another young wing to pair alongside Talen Horton-Tucker. As for the seconds, it helps them stock up on more draft picks without paying a huge price.

At the 22nd pick, the Cs could target point guards or the best available players. Top options could include Ayo Dosunmu, Sharife Cooper, Nah’Shon Hyland, or if he falls in the draft, Corey Kispert.

Would folks do this deal, or is there's eternal hope about Langford's upside? At the very least it's a little creative, so figured I'd post.

I'd do it and draft Dosunmu. Makes good sense.

It does leave us with the Evan Fournier hard cap dilemma because we didn't use Thompson as a salary dump.

[Birdman]

I believe the Lakers are tired of Kuzma & probably have no trouble of getting him..

[Celtics2021]

I’d rather have Romeo than anything we’re getting from the Lakers.

[Vermont Green]

It does leave us with the Evan Fournier hard cap dilemma because we didn't use Thompson as a salary dump.

Not sure I follow this part.  This would not be a sign and trade and we would not be using the non-tax payer MLE so I don't believe this transaction would trigger the hard cap.  If you mean the tax, yes, if we were to do a Thompson for Kuzma type of trade (taking back equal or greater salary), signing Fournier would likely put us in the tax.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

How much better is kuzma than Jabari Parker? 5%? If that? Maybe healthier no doubt, but I’m not sure this gives us an option we don’t currently have.

[Roy H.]

No interest.  Kuzma isn’t worth his contract.

[td450]

No interest.  Kuzma isn’t worth his contract.

His contract is for $13M per for 3 years. If he is a legit starting power forward for a contender, then he is worth it. So is he?

I hope the C's do better too. But years are going by where they don't. So if they figure out something better, I'm all for it. But another year where Semi or Grant Williams is the best we've got is a failure.

[Rondo9]

No interest.  Kuzma isn’t worth his contract.

His contract is for $13M per for 3 years. If he is a legit starting power forward for a contender, then he is worth it. So is he?

I hope the C's do better too. But years are going by where they don't. So if they figure out something better, I'm all for it. But another year where Semi or Grant Williams is the best we've got is a failure.

I rather have Semi and Grant Williams than Kyle Kuzma.

[Moranis]

No interest.  Kuzma isn’t worth his contract.

His contract is for $13M per for 3 years. If he is a legit starting power forward for a contender, then he is worth it. So is he?

I hope the C's do better too. But years are going by where they don't. So if they figure out something better, I'm all for it. But another year where Semi or Grant Williams is the best we've got is a failure.

13 million is a bench rotational player type salary. 

[Ogaju]

Kuzma? Hard pass.

[Ogaju]

In one of their 27 articles per day about the Cs, HH proposed this yesterday:

Celtics Get: Kyle Kuzma, 22nd Overall Pick
Lakers Get:Tristan Thompson, Romeo Langford, 2022 Second Round Pick, 2023 Second Round Pick

Their rationale was this:

This trade would help out both teams. The Lakers get a bit more flexibility, while the Boston Celtics get back in the first-round.

Kyle Kuzma gets made fun of a lot, but he actually had a great season last year. He averaged 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.

Better yet, Kuzma shot 44.3 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from deep. He would provide quality bench minutes at the wing/power forward positions.

Rumors have swirled that the Lakers could look to move Kuzma this offseason. This is a decent return for them.

The Lakers are in need of a quality center, and Tristan Thompson brings championship experience. He played with LeBron James in 2016, and there would be a sense of familiarity as well.

Frank Vogel couldn’t play Montrezl Harrell or Andre Drummond in the playoffs. Thompson gives them a veteran big man that can play when it matters most.

Romeo Langford gives them another young wing to pair alongside Talen Horton-Tucker. As for the seconds, it helps them stock up on more draft picks without paying a huge price.

At the 22nd pick, the Cs could target point guards or the best available players. Top options could include Ayo Dosunmu, Sharife Cooper, Nah’Shon Hyland, or if he falls in the draft, Corey Kispert.

Would folks do this deal, or is there's eternal hope about Langford's upside? At the very least it's a little creative, so figured I'd post.

Issue with Kuzma is no game, but it’s attitude.

[fmbl24]

Not after that extension, hard pass. Everything should be about clearing cap for a Max to put next to Tatum and Brown

[slamtheking]

I would keep Romeo in this deal. If salary is needed to make it work, they can have Carsen Edwards.

So effectively, Cs get Kuzma and a 1st for Thompson? Doubt that's realistic.

We could remove the picks altogether. I don't think this draft is worth getting back into at the 20+ range.

I have never been a Kuzma fan but Thompson + Langford for Kuzma without out any picks involved is a great deal for the Cs let alone them receiving a 1st.

Kuzma is not very good anymore.  Terrible defender.  He would be benched by Ime, and rightfully so.  This trade places low value on Langford.  Amazing how many fans are throwing him into trades left and right. As if they didn't watch the last couple of weeks of games, where Langford showed his potential and value. This guy is going to be an ELITE multi-positional defender in the NBA, better than any other player on our roster.

I don't know if I'd say 'elite' but I think the kid is going to be a very solid defender and I think he shows off his offensive skills next season.  key to that is a new coach with a better offensive scheme

[slamtheking]

No interest.  Kuzma isn’t worth his contract.

His contract is for $13M per for 3 years. If he is a legit starting power forward for a contender, then he is worth it. So is he?

I hope the C's do better too. But years are going by where they don't. So if they figure out something better, I'm all for it. But another year where Semi or Grant Williams is the best we've got is a failure.

there's no IF about it.  He's not

[Roy H.]

No interest.  Kuzma isn’t worth his contract.

His contract is for $13M per for 3 years. If he is a legit starting power forward for a contender, then he is worth it. So is he?

I hope the C's do better too. But years are going by where they don't. So if they figure out something better, I'm all for it. But another year where Semi or Grant Williams is the best we've got is a failure.

No, he isn't.  His contract might prevent us from having the cap space to acquire a better starter in the future however.