Ex-Laker has fitting response to Rob Pelinka’s comments

Sep 27, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka answers a question during the Lakers media day at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, CA. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Former Laker Kyle Kuzma had a fitting response to some comments from Rob Pelinka on Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ season came to an end when they lost 113-111 to the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night. The Lakers had their end-of-season press conferences on Tuesday. While meeting with the media, Pelinka addressed the future of some of the team’s players.

The Lakers executive said the team’s “intentions are to keep our core of young guys together.”

Kuzma, who just completed his second season with the Washington Wizards, reacted via Twitter.

“Heard that before,” Kuzma wrote, along with several crying laughing emojis.

Heard that before https://t.co/pBgwCp0HAV

— kuz (@kylekuzma) May 23, 2023

Yes, he has heard that before.

Kuzma was a first-round draft pick in 2017 and spent the first four seasons of his career with the Lakers. But he was dealt two offseasons ago as part of the team’s trade for Russell Westbrook. His trade came eight months after the team signed him to a contract extension, expressing their desire to keep the young players together. Two years before Kuzma was traded, he saw the Lakers send young players Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram to the Pelicans in the Anthony Davis deal.

This offseason, the Lakers will have the contract situations of several young players to consider. D’Angelo Russell, Lonnie Walker IV and Dennis Schroder will all be unrestricted free agents, while Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura will be restricted free agents.

The Lakers may want to bring back all those players, but being able to do so is a different story. Kuzma knows that all too well.

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