– Win 6th Man Award
Due to the addition of Anthony Davis, there has been a lot of speculation about whether or not Kyle Kuzma will be a starter this season. As of now, it looks like it makes the most sense for the Lakers to have Kuzma come off the bench for a few reasons.
One of the reasons why it makes sense to have Kuzma come off the bench is because of his ability to score. With Davis in the starting lineup alongside James, scoring shouldn’t be an issue. Separating Kuzma from those two to start the game will strengthen the Lakers’ bench, and give them a guy that can score 20 points a night off the bench.
In addition to giving the Lakers a prolific scorer off the bench, Kuzma would also benefit from leading the bench unit for his development. Being the No.1 or No.2 guy on the court will benefit Kuzma long-term, as teams will surely be focusing on James and Davis more than Kuzma when they are on the court together.
With it making sense that Kuzma comes off the bench, the goal then for Kuzma should be to be the best bench player in the league. If Kuzma is coming off the bench and scoring around 20 points per game, he is going to be in the mix to win the Sixth Man of the Year award.
As the rivalry with the Clippers escalates this season, Kuzma will likely be going against Lou Williams for this award. If he does indeed come off the bench, Kuzma’s goal should be to win the Sixth Man of the Year award.