Lakers Trade Rumors: Knicks Wanted Kuzma, Danny Green in Marcus Morris Offer

The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly declined to meet the asking price the New York Knicks set for Marcus Morris prior to the NBA trade deadline. 

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported the Knicks were looking to acquire Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green and future second-round picks.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported the details of the trade that got Morris to the Los Angeles Clippers instead:

Morris is making $15 million this year, so combining Kuzma ($2 million) and Green ($14.6 million) would've allowed the Knicks and Lakers to match salaries enough to get a deal done.

But that would've been a pretty lopsided trade for a player who's on an expiring contract. Adding Morris but losing Kuzma and Green would've left the Lakers as a worse team in the short term. A difficult decision about Morris would've then loomed in the offseason.

Green is shooting 37.2 percent from beyond the arc, and his work on the perimeter has helped the Lakers sit fourth in defensive rating (105.8), per NBA.com. The veteran swingman is delivering exactly what Los Angeles needs.

There will arguably come a time when the Lakers should cash in on Kuzma's trade value.

The 24-year-old isn't a great fit in a frontcourt that includes LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He's shooting just 33.7 percent on three-pointers, and he's averaging a solid but unspectacular 8.4 rebounds per 100 possessions, according to Basketball Reference. 

This summer would be the best time to move Kuzma. He's eligible to become a restricted free agent in 2021, and offering him a long-term contract might be a risky bet if his game doesn't improve.

With the benefit of a full offseason, Los Angeles can be a little more patient and gauge what kind of trade market emerges for Kuzma.