Why the Indiana Pacers were wise to pass up on Kyle Kuzma

The Indiana Pacers, tabbed by many as one of the most aggressive on the trade market as a lead-up to the NBA Draft, reportedly turned down a package from the Los Angeles Lakers involving forward Kyle Kuzma and their 22nd pick for the Blue and Gold’s 13th selection and a salary filler, according to HoopsHype’s Mike Scotto.

Given Kuzma’s uninspiring and sometimes erratic play in the postseason for the Lakers, many among Pacers circles were relieved with the news, believing that the forward is not worth a lottery selection, especially in the upcoming draft which is reckoned to boast one of the deepest classes in recent history.

Still, from an objective viewpoint, the 26-year-old’s recent decline, at least statistically, has a lot to do with him being relegated to a substantially lesser role with LeBron James and Anthony Davis at the helm. It bears heft noting that the four-year forward, a bona fide three-level scorer, remains an effective contributor when utilized correctly.

How does Kyle Kuzma fit with the current roster?

However, it’s easy to see why the Indiana Pacers declined the Lakers’ offer. With scoring forward TJ Warren now healthy and projected to man the bulk of minutes as a starter, it makes little sense to bring Kyle Kuzma on board.

Hypothetically, Kuzma will inherit Doug McDermott’s minutes off the bench as a sparkplug. While his much-improved defense, in addition to his innate scoring ability, would be a very welcome addition to the second unit, the bench already plays a fluid type of basketball that is far from conducive for Kuzma’s penchant for isolation plays. His spot-up shooting, while having risen to above league average this season with a 36.1 clip on triples, is more streaky than dependable.

Given the Pacers’ certainty on the starting lineup as the roster currently stands, slotting him in as a starter is virtually impossible barring an injury. Thus, the most that Indiana can give to him role-wise is as a 22-26 minute per game scorer who could come when the team is in a scoring drought or wants to downsize.

The caveat here, however, will be the streamlined role for both Justin Holiday and Oshae Brissett to accommodate his minutes. These are two 3-and-D wings who have been among the brightest spots for the team last season and offer a lot of intangibles on the court that are arguably more valuable than Kuzma’s voluminous, yet iffy scoring.

The Indiana Pacers did well rejecting the Lakers’ offer

For all the abovementioned reasons, the Indiana Pacers did the right thing by not accepting Los Angeles’ offer. Kyle Kuzma is a fine player and may even be the bridge that prompts the Blue and Gold to tread in the small ball waters, but if the team indeed aims to go in that direction, there would certainly be far more attractive options that will eventually surface.

Personally, I’m a lot warmer to the notion of trying to trade up for better draft position in hopes of landing a high-upside prospect instead of trading down for a lower pick and a valuable role player even if the franchise has repeatedly ascertained trying to maximize their winning window in the present with their recent moves.

The front office may not think that way though, especially with their reported persistence on acquiring a reliable veteran for their draft pick, but staying clear from Kyle Kuzma, who’s unlikely to bring something novel to the table to enhance his profile as he enters his prime, is a logical move for the Indiana Pacers, which are looking to climb up the standings next season.