4. Kyle Kuzma becomes the Laker’s second-leading scorer
Kyle Kuzma was hailed as one of the best steals in the 2017 NBA Draft, and he proved it by averaging 16.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in his rookie campaign. He also showcased an impressive arsenal of moves that allowed him to score in a variety of ways, from hop-steps, spin moves, and a sky-hook that would make Kareem proud.
Let’s take a quick look back at his rookie season.
Kuzma had an already polished offensive game right out of the gate and got better and better as the season progressed. After an entire offseason to work on his game, where Kuzma worked out with the likes of Kobe and LeBron, I fully expect Kuzma to take the next step.
In an interview with Lakers reporter Mike Trudell, Kuzma talked about his offseason training and what aspects of his game he hoped to improve on.
"MT: What’s been the focus of your offseason regimen? Kuzma: We’ve worked on a lot of perimeter skills and playing at the three. Last year I played the three and the four, and I’ll probably play (both) this year, but just to develop my game as a perimeter guy. Reading passes. My handling. Just working out as a guard really helps your overall game. MT: How can you specifically tell you’re better? Kuzma: Just my strength level. Being in the weight room has helped me. Defensively it helps because I’m not getting backed down easily. My legs are stronger so I can move my feet better. Film has really helped me this summer from watching other players and seeing passes that I wouldn’t see last year when I’d probably shoot it. It’s funny, Luke (Walton) today said ‘Man, you had a skyhook that you would have shot,’ and I passed to JaVale. It’s good to see growth coming from that."
Going into the 2018-2019 season, Kuzma should easily solidify himself as the team’s 6th Man and rack up numbers going against weaker second units. Luke Walton also said that the Lakers will be trying Kuzma out at the 5-spot at times during the season, where he’ll be a constant mismatch for slower bigs.
Luke also likes having a scoring punch off the bench, evidenced by his use of Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson these past two seasons. Whether Lonzo Ball or Rajon Rondo gets the starting job, Kuzma will be playing alongside a pure playmaking point guard, allowing him to fit seamlessly into that bench-scorer role.