Brian Windhorst Suggests Lakers Could Trade Kuzma for Bogdanovic

Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kyle Kuzma are in the middle of attention after latest episode of the “Bill Simmons podcast.” The Serbian shooter is, according to Simmons and the NBA insider Brian Windhorst, the missing piece in Lakers’ championship puzzle, and the guy should be their target in the next trade deadline. In order to get him, the team from LA should trade Kyle Kuzma along with some other additions to Sacramento.

While talking about the purple and gold’s chances to win this year’s title, the two NBA experts agreed upon the fact that Bogdanovic would increase be a perfect guy to improve the prospects of taking the Larry O’Brien trophy.

“You put Bogdanovic alongside LeBron, oh my god, that would be a weapon. That’s the guy you trade Kuzma for,” said Windhorst.

Windhorst and Simmons were chatting about the Lakers’ team and the fact that Kyle Kuzma didn’t open this season as planned. According to their words, Kuz is not at the expected level, and it appears that Danny Green is the reason for that. But apart from this, they believe his one-dimensional game is not contributing the Lakers very well.

“The most important stat with Kuzma is minutes played because Vogel doesn’t think he’s a good fit,” Windhorst said when talking about Kuz, adding that he isn’t complimentary with LeBron, and on the other hand, stated totally the opposite for Green. “Danny Green is like the ideal player (for that).”

“Kuzma can’t defend or shoot at a high level,” he would conclude.

In 20 matches since the start of the campaign, the Lakers’ forward posted 23.1 minutes per night, averaging 11.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, with 43.3% form the field, which is way below the expected. Because of that, Simmons and Windhorst believe that eventually, the Lakers might use Kuzma and picks, to get somebody who will contribute in the needed way.

While analyzing the market, Windhorst came up with Bogdanovic, praising the Serbian player, adding that his current position, could benefit the LAL in the long run.

“I’d trade Kuzma for Bogdanovic,” ESPN’s analyst revealed. “Bogdanovic is one of the most interesting players in the league. Restricted free-agent but not a starter there, and they (Sacramento) already committed to Hield and Harrison Barnes.”

In the later phase of the discussion, the two agreed upon the fact that the Kings might have made a mistake for not signing the Serb first. The fact that he is a restricted free agent, would give Lakers his rights, which is excellent, according to Windhorst, who thinks that Bogi might become a long-term solution for Vogel’s side.

Bogdan Bogdanovic fakes and fires for the lead… YES!

FINAL in Sacramento:@okcthunder 93@SacramentoKings 94 pic.twitter.com/AjUHqJMa3J

— NBA (@NBA) December 12, 2019

Bogdanovic’s quality, along with the price is a great deal for the LAL, who also has limitations regarding the salary cap. So all in all, everything fits in perfectly.

Now, being said that this was an episode of a podcast show, the talk between these two guys doesn’t have to mean anything. But we often witnessed that Windhorst has an excellent prognosis and that he sometimes indicates trades or deals way before they actually happen.

Social networks went wild after this, with the Lakers’ fans approving this speculation.

Bogdanovic is one of the early candidates for the sixth-man of the year award. After a slow start, he started posting excellent games and became a clutch player for the Kings. Every thrilling finish, Luke Walton’s team won, saw Bogi delivering the final blow to the opponent.

He’s been averaging 14.8 points, 4 assists and 39.9% from downtown in 27.7 minutes since the campaign began. It is interesting to see whether was this just a prognosis by Windhorst or something else.