“I like the way Kyle Kuzma plays, I’m never trading him”: When Shaquille O’Neal surprisingly suggested the Lakers retain Kuz over the likes of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart

Towards the end of the 2018-2019 season, Shaquille O’Neal revealed he wouldn’t trade away Kyle Kuzma, during the Lakers-Pelicans trade talks for Anthony Davis.

Back in 2018-2019, the Los Angeles Lakers had one of the best young cores in the league with players like Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, among others, led by LeBron James. The Lakers finished with only 37 regular-season wins despite having an energetic bunch of players and were rumoured to be in trade talks with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Towards the end of the 2018-2019 season, several analysts and insiders figured out that King James might be trading away as many players from their young core in order to acquire Anthony Davis on the team.

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While many suggested trading away almost the entirety of the young core, former Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal suggested that LeBron and co. hold onto the 6-foot-10 forward Kuzma.

“Kyle Kuzma should never be on the trading block”: Shaquille O’Neal in 2019

On an episode of NBA on TNT, Shaq urged the Lakers to not put Kyle on the trading block for the AD trade. The Big Diesel even went on to say that he would never trade the then-23-year-old. O’Neal said: 

“I don’t think Kyle Kuzma should ever be on the trading block,” O’Neal said, via NBA on TNT. “I like that kid. I like the way he plays… I’m never trading Kyle Kuzma.” 

 

Eventually, LAL sent away Zo, BI, Hart and a few draft picks for Davis, retaining Kuzma on their roster. And while all 3 of the former Laker players considerably improved their games, Kyle managed to be a role player on the team which ended up winning the 2020 championship.

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Averaging a solid 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in the 4 seasons with the LA-based team, the Lakers traded away Kyle to the Washington Wizards in a blockbuster trade this past offseason, managing to get Russell Westbrook to join forces with The King and The Brow.

Kyle Kuzma will now hope to embrace a much bigger role alongside Bradley Beal, Spencer Dinwiddie and Rui Hachimura than he had in LAL.