Report: Lakers getting more aggressive in Buddy Hield trade pursuit

The Los Angeles Lakers are said to have interest in trading for Buddy Hield this offseason, and it sounds like they are ramping up their efforts to acquire the Sacramento Kings star.

A recent report claimed the Lakers have had discussions with the Kings about trading for Hield in a potential deal that would involve Kyle Kuzma. According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Lakers have upped their offer and those talks now have “real traction.”

Sources told O’Connor that L.A. has offered the Kings a package that includes Montrezl Harrell plus Kuzma or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the No. 22 pick in the draft.

There has been talk that the Lakers are interested in star free agents like Chris Paul, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, but they don’t have the salary cap space to sign those players. They would need to get creative with a sign-and-trade, so a trade for a player like Hield is obviously a much easier path to improving their roster.

Hield is a solid scorer and facilitator who averaged 16.6 points per game this season. He’s also a career 40.6 percent 3-point shooter and could help spread things out for the Lakers.

If the Lakers do pull off a trade for a starting-caliber player, it seems like a given that Kuzma will be involved. The 6-foot-10 forward has not had a consistent role in L.A. since the Lakers acquired Anthony Davis. He recently indicated that he has been frustrated by that.