Getty Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers during a game against the Dallas Mavericks.
After flashing a glimpse of his new and improved three-point shot in one of the USA Basketball scrimmages from the first day of training camp practice, Kyle Kuzma doubled down and took part in a three-point shootout involving long-range snipers like PJ Tucker, Brook Lopez, and Joe Harris.
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WATCH: Kyle Kuzma & PJ Tucker Have Insane 3-Point Shootout at USA Basketball Camp
Kyle Kuzma and PJ Tucker had a 3 point shoot out and it went down to the wire!! Who do you think won before watching!? @kylekuzma @USABasketball
The competition quickly whittled down to just Kuzma and Tucker, who went at it for a number of shots before Kuzma finally clanked one off the iron, leaving the door open for Tucker to eliminate him and bring home the victory.
Despite losing to Tucker, besting Splash Mountain and 2019 3 Point Contest champion Joe Harris is no small feat. For a player that shot just a shave above 30% from beyond the arc last season, if Kuzma can translate his new form and improved results to actual games, the Lakers might have stumbled upon their coveted third star.
With Anthony Davis and LeBron James already in place as the two superstars and former All-NBA talent DeMarcus Cousins looking to make a comeback as well, the Lakers could potentially find themselves having a plethora of frontcourt talent available at their disposal.
Lakers Still Looking to Fill Last Roster Spot
Another day of no action on the Lakers final roster spot hunt. With the Memphis Grizzlies looking more and more like they plan to not buy out the last year of Andre Iguodala‘s deal, it seems the Lakers will most likely have to look elsewhere in order to fill out their last remaining guaranteed spot.
If this winds up being the case and the Grizzlies instead hold fast to finding a trade partner for Iguodala, expect the Lakers to look in a few other directions. The team could use another big body – especially as both centers Demarcus Cousins and JaVale McGee have been known to deal with injury issues. Kenneth Faried is one option capable of playing power forward or sliding up to center in small-ball lineups. The athletic board-crasher plays hard defense and while not a sexy big-name pickup, could contribute some positive minutes – especially in the event of an injury.
If the Lakers want to stick with a wing player, Carmelo Anthony remains an option as does Big 3 standout and former All-Star Joe Johnson. Both players have shown the ability to be more than capable of still scoring the ball, yet have major questions regarding their ability to take a lesser role as well as play consistent and quality defense.
The Lakers won’t be looking for major minutes from anyone they plan to bring on – save for maybe Iguodala. Instead, the Lakers will be looking for quality spot play and solid veteran leadership in the clubhouse. With that said, the Lakers don’t seem to be in any rush and with a number of veteran players still available to be scooped up on minimum deals, there shouldn’t be a shortage of options whenever they do decide to pull the trigger.