Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma recognizes it is not imperative for him to be a third star for the team.
Los Angeles Lakers third-year player Kyle Kuzma has turned a lot of heads since he entered the league two years back. His confidence on the court never seems to waver and the results have typically followed suit.
The primary area Kuzma has been beneficial to the Lakers in has been from an offensive standpoint. The forward simply knows how to put the rock through the hoop, and the variety of ways he can do it is impressive.
In his rookie campaign, Kuzma averaged 16.1 points a night for Los Angeles. He shot 45 percent from the field and converted 36.6 of his chances from behind the arc.
The Flint, Michigan native made sure that his second season at the NBA level was not a fluke. He bumped up his scoring average to a rock solid 18.7 points per game. Moreover, he managed to slightly increase his field goal percentage to 45.6 percent.
Be that as it may, Kuzma’s 3-point percentage took a dip in year two. The fashionable baller drained just 30.3 percent of his opportunities from distance. That is a fairly significant plunge.
Of course, it is worth considering how challenging the 2018-19 season was for the Lakers. Kuzma was one piece among many dangled in trade rumors, so it could have affected his productivity. With all of that drama in the rear-view mirror, Kuzma can ideally have a distraction free season this time around.
While the 2019-20 roster boasts various players capable of knocking it down from deep, “Kuz” needs to improve in this department. Kuzma needs to start developing a greater sense of consistency for the Lakers.
Especially since the modern NBA is geared toward spreading the floor, it would be ideal for Kuzma to get back to his rookie self in this realm. It would be more than welcome given that the Lakers have sky high aspirations.
Assuming “Kuz” can crawl his way back to his rookie year levels, there is reason to believe he can be a borderline All-Star in 2019-20. He already has all the tools in the shed offensively.
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At this juncture, it is a matter of demonstrating that regularity night after night. That is perhaps the next major step for Kyle to take. Doing that just that will really cause the league to be on notice whenever they square off against the Lakers.
The purple and gold already have two legitimate stars in LeBron James and Anthony Davis. On that note, teams are already going to have enough trouble trying to figure out how to defend them. Thus, if Kuzma can be a deadeye shooter for L.A. this season, they will be a really tough team to beat.
Over the summer, the 24-year-old was not afraid to say that he believes he can evolve into a third star for the Lakers. He fully knows his capabilities and had the chance to showcase them at Team USA’s training camp during the same span.
Even supposing that confidence, the third-year player seemed to clarify that stance in a recent interview he had. The 6-foot-9 athlete recently collaborated with Rohan Nadkarni of Sports Illustrated and grasps that being a third star is not absolutely mandatory.
Christian Rivas of SB Nation transcribed what Kuzma said to Nadkarni. In fact, the Laker revealed that his goal is to continue to work on the areas that have made him effective thus far.
"Kyle Kuzma is well aware that he’s not expected to be a star player on a Lakers team that boasts LeBron James and Anthony Davis.“I’ve never been a guy that’s had the ball in his hands, ” Kuzma told Sports Illustrated. “Shooting the ball from three, running out in transition, cuts to the hoop, tip ins. There’s a reason why I’ve always played this game.”"
Kuzma’s characterization of himself is on point. Indeed, the man does not need to be a primary ball controller for the Lakers to succeed. It is a different story when guys like James are considered.
Certainly, though, this does not diminish what “Kuz” can do on the court. He is an exciting talent whose playing style would make the average person think he has been in the league for much longer than he has.
At any rate, what is key is that Kuzma clearly grasps his role and what his strengths are. If he can continue to capitalize on those, it is reasonable to say the Lakers will be in good shape.
What will be crucial for the forward to address in year three is what he can contribute on the defensive side of the floor. This department has oftentimes been Kuzma’s kryptonite throughout the early chunk of his playing career.
Now, he is not necessarily a total slouch defensively. He has averaged close to six rebounds a game in his first couple seasons.
However, there is still a lot of room for growth in this realm. The 6-foot-9 Laker has a fair amount of length at his disposal, which could be a useful weapon for Los Angeles. Thankfully, having a player like Davis down low should be a plus in terms of holding “Kuz” accountable if he misses an assignment on “D.”
Moreover, fans should be every bit as thankful that Kyle has the kind of work ethic he does. For someone his age, he definitely stands out from the crowd as far as the time he invests behind the scenes. That being said, it is fair to assume he has worked on deficiencies such as his “D.”
The one unfortunate thing with Kuzma right now is that he is on the shelf. He is still dealing with a foot injury he sustained while with Team USA.
With the season around the bend, though, one can imagine the youngster is itching to return to basketball activities. The Lakers’ first game is next Tuesday against the Clippers, who have been hyped about for weeks upon weeks.
Kuzma is a huge part of the Lakers’ game plan this year. Granted he does not necessarily need to perform at the level of an All-Star, expectations will be higher than they were in previous seasons.
Given that the Lakers have both LBJ and AD, the expectations are elevated for that reason alone. Therefore, the demands are going to similarly apply to a guy like “Kuz,” in part because he is a returning member of the crew.
With respect to Kyle, one thing is guaranteed at the end of the day. He fully believes he can take his game to new heights this season. There is no doubt about it.
At the same time, he is aware of his strong suits and knows that when he puts those into action, he is putting L.A. in a better position to win. He does not need to be the center of attention to make a difference on the hardwood.