Los Angeles Lakers: Kyle Kuzma confident he can be third star

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma is confident he can become the third star the organization has sought.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma has accomplished more than many people thought he would when the organization selected him in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft. Kuzma was the second of three first-round picks made that year, with Lonzo Ball going No. 2 overall and Josh Hart being selected No. 30.

Along with Brandon Ingram, those three made up an impressive young core for the Lakers. Kuzma quickly proved doubters wrong and became a fan favorite. Not only did fans love him, but the organization also did as well.

When negotiations began with the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis, the whole young core was on the table. By the time negotiations got serious, it was Kuzma who the Lakers wanted to hold onto. Not the No. 2 overall picks from prestigious programs in Duke and UCLA, but the No. 27 overall pick from Utah.

The Lakers have high hopes for Kuzma. With Davis and LeBron James, the team has climbed back into contender status. A third go-to player emerging would help push them even closer to a championship.

Rob Pelinka did an excellent job rounding out the roster. Players such as Danny Green, Avery Bradley, DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Jared Dudley give the team great depth.

However, it is Kuzma that will be relied upon to take that next step. The team would not have pushed to keep him had they not believed he was capable of it, and Kuzma is confident he can reach that level.

"“I don’t feel no pressure, but I believe that I am capable of being that superstar,” Kuzma told ESPN. “I put a lot of work in. My progress through my journey shows that I can be there. I developed every single year, dating back to college, and I don’t see that development stunting at all.”"

We have already seen some of that work translate onto the court. There were a lot of questions surrounding Kuzma’s fit at the next level when he declared for the draft out of Utah. Pundits questioned whether he could develop into a stretch-4 to succeed in the NBA, and he came right out of the gates showing he could do that.

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Kuzma knocked down 159 3-pointers in his rookie season, connecting at a 36.6 percent clip. While his shooting percentage from downtown decreased in his second season, his overall shooting percentage and points per game increased, which also gives Kuzma confidence.

"“Last year I didn’t shoot the ball well, and I still averaged almost 20 [points per game]. If I can shoot the ball well and keep developing the facets of my game defensively, I don’t see why I can’t [be that third star].”"

If Kuzma can get back to his rookie year shooting percentage from deep, he has a great shot at reaching the 20-point per game plateau. James and Davis will demand a lot of attention from opposing defenses, which should open things up for guys such as Kuzma.

However, the defensive side of the ball is where it will truly come down to, as he noted. Frank Vogel will have some tough lineup decisions to make, one of them being where to play Kuzma.

If Kuzma can perform defensively, he could slide into the starting lineup alongside James and Davis in the frontcourt. If he can’t, the second unit is probably the best bet, as the starting lineup needs another defender other than Green on the perimeter.

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Whatever decision that Vogel makes, you can count on Kuzma bringing his best to the court night in and night out. He is an important piece of the puzzle for Los Angeles and if he is able to develop as he discussed, he could become that third star to help take the team to the next level.

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