Getty Kyle Kuzma, Anthony Davis and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers talk before a game between the Lakers and the LA Clippers.
First D’Angelo Russell was shipped off to the Nets. Julius Randle would go next as the Lakers watched the intriguing young talent walk in free agency. One by one the Lakers’ stockpile of young assets vanished, culminating in the massive deal that would send off Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram to bring superstar Anthony Davis onto the purple and gold.
The only draft pick to survive the gutting of the roster was the former 27th overall pick of the 2017 draft, Kyle Kuzma. Showing natural chemistry alongside LeBron James last season and emerging as an incredibly prolific scoring weapon so far, the only question surrounding Kuzma is just how high his ceiling might actually be.
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Is Kyle Kuzma Ready to Become the Lakers’ Third Star?
Kuzma entered the NBA a bit older than most top prospects and those questions surrounding his age and ability to improve dramatically dropped his draft stock – allowing the Lakers to scoop him up with a late first-round pick. While he has shown the ability to be effective in a stretch forward role, his shooting has remained a bit streaky throughout his first two seasons. Especially with Anthony Davis factoring into the mix this season, Kuzma should see a number of more open looks on the perimeter – looks the Lakers will need him to consistently knock down.
His ability to run the floor in transition and serve as an effective outlet for easy finishes around the rim should continue to play a major role in the Lakers offense and while his defensive skills have been heavily scrutinized, he made some quality steps at improving last season. New Laker head coach Frank Vogel feels that Kuzma actually has a decent amount of room to grow on that side of the basketball.
Kuz, I couldn’t be more impressed with him in all aspects. Everything he’s able to do on the basketball court, I’m going to push him to really reach his potential on the defensive end. We know he can fill it up and score in every way imaginable. He’s shown to me early on that he’s very, very approachable. His attitude is a 10 out of 10, he’s a team-first guy. He’s going to be a major factor for us and play a major role for us.
If he makes strides defensively and with consistently knocking down his shot, Kuzma could be ready to take a huge step towards stardom in his third season. While he doesn’t have the natural skill set of a LeBron James or Anthony Davis, his motor and ability to stretch the floor as a third scoring option could be instrumental to the Lakers success and put him in the position to become a household name.
Kyle Kuzma Parts Ways With Agent
Amid the Lakers frantic free agent feeding frenzy, Kyle Kuzma decided to opt for a change in representation. With the ability to start exploring contract extensions in the near future alongside the opportunity to hit free agency for the first time, Kuzma has some big decisions to make regarding his longterm career. Kuzma has made it clear he loves being a member of the Laker family and if their desire to keep him as the only member of the young core is any indication, that feeling seems to be mutual.