Los Angeles Lakers: 4 bold but possible predictions for 2018-19

The Los Angeles Lakers are primed to take a step forward this upcoming season. Here are four bold, but possible, predictions for the 2018-19 NBA season.

Well, we made it Los Angeles Lakers fans. The offseason is just about over and we can finally start visualizing the first game where LeBron James walks out to center court in Portland wearing the purple and gold that we have spent our lives adoring.

If you’re getting chills thinking of it right now, it’s okay you’re not alone. It’s been a long couple of months waiting for this time to come and we’re practically there. So while the final days of the offseason dwindle down, I thought why not get one last prediction article in?

These predictions, while slightly audacious, are still realistic and aren’t too farfetched that the sporting world would implode if they happened. Some are more realistic than others, but nonetheless, if any of them happened, Lakers fans should be ecstatic.

Here are four bold, but possible, predictions for the Lakers during the 2018-19 NBA season.

4. Kyle Kuzma will participate in the 3-point contest

Now, I know this might seem inapplicable when determining the success of the Lakers’ season, but bear with me. In the history of the Lakers franchise, they have only sent three players to the 3-point contest; this doesn’t include 2008 when Kobe Bryant made it but sat out due to injury.

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Michael Cooper and Byron Scott were the first Lakers to make it in 1987 and neither won. The following year Scott went back to try again and found the same result. That would be the last time a Laker would participate for three decades until the artist formerly known as Swaggy P, Nick Young, would attempt to be the first Laker to take home the trophy. He failed.

Now it’s no secret that when known shooters come to LA, they ultimately get, for lack of a better term, Downtown Amnesia. This is where you were once a great shooter from 3, but for unforeseen circumstances, you suddenly have no idea how to make a shot from beyond the arc (I’m looking at you Jason Kapono). But only three players?? That seems pretty low for one of the most storied franchises in the history of the league.

So why now? Why Kuzma? It’s no secret Kyle likes to score. He showed us plenty of that last season.

Kuzma finished tied for the most 3-pointers made last season with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who will most likely see a dramatic decrease in the number of times he gets to throw the ball up with reckless abandon. I think Kuzma has the opportunity to be dubbed the best shooter on the Lakers this season.

Obviously, we all want Svi Mykhailiuk to have that title, but I don’t see him getting the minutes to be able to. However, watching him rain 3 after 3 in this video is still a sight to see.

Kuzma will have more spot-up opportunities this season with the addition of LeBron and Rajon Rondo. I expect him to shoot at a higher percentage because he won’t have to create his own shot as much. The defense will be helping off of him a lot more when Lebron, Ingram, and Rondo start driving to create. Kuzma has been very open on social media, especially Twitter, on how much he’s been working this offseason so I expect increased efficiency on the offensive end.

Kuzma has been turning heads since his first game in NBA Summer League and I fully expect him to continue to do so. Why not be the first Laker to win the 3-point contest? That’s sure to turn some more heads.