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Los Angeles Lakers: How Kyle Kuzma will fit in during the regular season

By Ravi Krishnaswamy

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 17: Jarnell Stokes #34 of the Portland Trail Blazers guards Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the championship game of the 2017 Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 17, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Los Angeles won 110-98. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 17: Jarnell Stokes #34 of the Portland Trail Blazers guards Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the championship game of the 2017 Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 17, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Los Angeles won 110-98. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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After a great Summer League, how will Kyle Kuzma fit in with the Los Angeles Lakers during the regular season?

The Los Angeles Lakers are fresh off of winning their first Summer League championship against the Portland Trail Blazers. With Lonzo Ball sitting out due to a calf-strain, Kyle Kuzma stole the show with a 30 point 10 rebound performance on route to winning the summer league championship MVP.

With such a dominant showing in Summer League, Kuzma proved that he is ready to make an immediate contribution for the Lakers next season. However, he will have to compete with Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. for playing time.

Here I will discuss how Kuzma fits with the Lakers as well as how Coach Luke Walton may plan to utilize him.

Offensive Versatility

If there is one thing Kuzma showcased in Summer League, it was his supreme versatility on offense. He has deep range, can post up, and can take his defender off the dribble.

His varied skill set on offense leads me to believe that he could be the team’s backup small forward right away. He will have to beat out the likes of Corey Brewer and Luol Deng for minutes but those players are primarily on the roster for their veteran leadership.

His ability to heat up in a hurry should make him a valuable spark off of the bench.

Defensive Versatility 

Much like his teammate Larry Nance, Kuzma has the strength and speed required to defend multiple positions. While Brook Lopez and Ivica Zubac are decent rim protectors, they both struggle to guard the pick and roll.

Having the flexibility to insert either Kuzma or Nance at the center position gives the Lakers nice flexibility on the defensive end. A potential lineup of Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brandon Ingram, Kuzma, and Nance would allow the Lakers to switch everything on defense.

If Randle is able to show a renewed commitment to defense, we may even be able to see a lineup with him, Kuzma, and Nance together.

Next: 5 Players who can fill out the roster

Position-less Basketball 

In today’s NBA players can no longer afford to be one dimensional. It is absolutely imperative that the modern day NBA player offers versatility on both ends of the floor.

While on paper it says that Randle, Nance, and Kuzma all play the power forward position that isn’t necessarily the case. All three players are swiss army knives who can each impact the game in different ways. Randle is the best rebounder, Nance is the best defender, and Kuzma is the best three-point shooter.

With each player offering different skill sets there are countless lineup possibilities for Coach Luke Walton to experiment with.

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