Update: Kings reportedly unlikely to trade Bogdan Bogdanovic for Kyle Kuzma

Bogdan Bogdanovic
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 25: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers yells and celebrates against the LA Clippers on December 25, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)

Update: In what may amount to being posturing by the Kings to drive up value, The Athletic’s Sam Amick is reporting that it is “unlikely” the Kings trade Bogdan Bogdanovic straight up for Kyle Kuzma. Of course, this is a fluid situation and given that talks have extended enough to discuss multiple players, it’s possible that a trade still occurs.

Original Story Follows:

Trade season is already heating up and Kyle Kuzma is at the center of it. The Los Angeles Lakers forward has had a difficult season managing playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis while battling injuries. The Lakers have, as a result, been listening to trade offers from around the league as a result.

According to the New York Times’ Marc Stein, one team negotiating for the third-year pro is the Sacramento Kings, who, according to Stein, believe they would have to include Bogdan Bogdanovic in order to acquire Kuzma.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of Stein’s report is his use of the phrase “for starters” implying that Sacramento believes they would have to offer up even more to get Kuzma.

Bogdanovic has similarly struggled in his third year with a new head coach in Luke Walton (who spent two years with Kuzma in LA). Bogdanovic has mostly played off the bench but he is averaging a career best 14.5 points per game while shooting 38.3 percent from deep.

Bogdanovic famously declined to sign a four-year, $51 million contract extension with the Kings who have recently paid big money to keep Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes and will have to pay De’Aaron Fox next year. Bogdanovic will be a restricted free agent this summer.

Kuzma has one more year under contract.

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