In some ways, it would make a lot of sense for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers to consummate a trade involving one of the Thunder’s point guards, but not the one everyone has been talking about.
Could a trade between the teams involving Dennis Schroder and Kyle Kuzma be mutually agreeable? Perhaps.
With the Oklahoma City Thunder expected to continue to pare down its roster in furtherance of its rebuild, Chris Paul is the name most often associated with potential trades that the franchise could try to make, but Schroder and even Steven Adams have had their names tossed around in scenarios, as well.
While both players are 27 years old and on the younger side of 30, each is entering the final year of their current contracts. Adams is slated to earn $27.5 million in 2020-21, while Schroder will earn a relatively more modest $15.5 million. It is Schroder, though, who might net the Thunder the more gifted prospect, and he could be a great fit for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Although the Lakers have just won their 17th NBA Championship, the team will not rest on its laurels as LeBron James and Anthony Davis attempt to solidify their places in history with back-to-back championships. James, who will turn 36 years old by the end of the year, played a great many minutes as the team’s point guard, and it’s impossible to ignore how Rajon Rondo’s spirited play helped take some of the pressure off of James to both create and be an offensive force.
With Rondo reportedly set to opt out of his contract and test free agency, the crosstown Clippers are expected to register interest in him. Schroder could be an upgrade.
The Proposal
Thunder receive: Kyle Kuzma and Danny Green
Lakers receive: Dennis Schroder and Terrance Ferguson
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Why The Thunder Do It
While he is certainly one of the better sixth men in the entire league, Dennis Schroder will be a free agent after the 2020-21 season, and it’s doubtful either he or the Thunder will have interest in a re-signing. Trading him for Kuzma would give the Thunder a player two years younger who would complement Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at a position of need for Oklahoma City.
Including Terrance Ferguson is something that the Thunder could balk at if the team isn’t ready to give up on the defensive-minded, athletic guard; however, Hamidou Diallo has more perceived upside and is less expensive, and Lu Dort has already taken Ferguson’s starting spot. Ferguson might be expendable.
Why The Lakers Do It
Top-heavy as the roster is, the Lakers have a few needs on the team and shouldn’t rest on its laurels if its hope is to maximize the remainder of LeBron James’ career. To that end, finding a dependable attack guard who can create plays for others and finish at the basket should be high on Rob Pelinka’s wish list this offseason. If he plays dependable defense, that’s all the better.
Schroder more than fits the bill.
While trading Kyle Kuzma, a young, starting-caliber player, would understandably be a difficult decision, the forward has struggled to find his consistency in his bench role with the Lakers. The team might be selling low on him at this point, but Schroder — who is only two years older — simply fills a more pressing need for a franchise that is in absolute win-now mode.
Including Danny Green and Terrance Ferguson has cons for each team, but the Lakers would better match salary and receive an athletic defensive-minded guard in exchange for a veteran player whose championship experience could help the Thunder’s young players develop some good habits.
Why The Thunder Don’t Do It
Dennis Schroder is only two years older than Kyle Kuzma, so the trade doesn’t make them that much younger. The team could be reluctant to assume the remaining two years on Danny Green’s contract and also could believe that additional draft capital (which the Lakers don’t have) would be preferable to trading for Kuzma, who is eligible for a rookie extension after the 2020-21 season.
If the club still believes that Ferguson has a future as a key rotation piece, it may very well perceive the trade as it giving up a promising 22-year-old prospect for a player who may not necessarily upgrade the roster very much.
With plenty of draft picks over the next several years, general manager Sam Presti may also be content with letting the big money on his books expire and preserve the team’s cap maneuverability — both of which would be undercut by the addition of Green, and potentially Kuzma, depending on his market price in restricted free agency.
Why The Lakers Don’t Do It
Although each player had their struggles last season, the Lakers won a championship with both Kuzma and Green playing integral roles. Before the arrivals of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Kuzma enjoyed existence as arguably the team’s most promising prospect. If his improved defensive presence helps him supplant Danny Green or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the team’s starting lineup, he may eventually emerge into the third piece that the Lakers need to ensure a continued run. His playmaking abilities have also improved to the point where he could possibly spell James in that regard, as well, so the Lakers may not be inclined to give him up just yet.
With respect to Green, although he may be past his prime, he’s one of a few players who have won championships with three different teams. That’s no accident. Trading him along with Kuzma would essentially fill one hole for the Lakers while creating another. It would be incumbent on Ferguson to either grow up quickly or Pelinka to find another player who can fill Green’s role. That task might not be one that the defending champion wants to proactively take up.
Who Says No?
Flip a coin. There are pros and cons for both teams, but the Thunder may feel that Kuzma’s perceived upside was a result of him being a go-to player on a losing Lakers team that didn’t have LeBron James. The requirement of taking back Green and his contract might also not be as appealing as shipping Schroder out to another team that has draft capital and a one-year contract back to offer.
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