Make Kyle Kuzma the leader of the 2nd unit
It is fair to say that since the Anthony Davis trade which sent Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart as well as numerous picks to the Pelicans in exchange for Anthony Davis, that Kyle Kuzma has not looked the player he was in previous seasons.
Having picked up an ankle injury during Team USA training during the summer, Kuzma missed training camp and preseason for the Lakers and has struggled to get into the groove with the Lakers.
It is understandable that he is still working his way back into shape and is getting used to a different role. Having been a starter for the Lakers for a while, coming off the bench seems to be relatively new to Kuz.
With Davis playing power forward, time in the starting lineup is going to be hard to come by for Kyle Kuzma, However, if Kuz is willing to accept his role in the 2nd unit then he might just become the 3rd star the Los Angeles Lakers are looking for.
If Kuzma steps up to the plate and accepts more responsibility with the team, he can be the leader of the Lakers 2nd unit.
With Rondo, KCP, Dudley, Kuzma, and Howard potentially being the preferred 2nd unit, Kuzma will have an opportunity to not only get buckets with the 2nd unit but to learn from guys with experience in how to be a leader.
If Kuz can be the go-to scorer for the 2nd unit, the Lakers should be able to put teams away early with the likes of LeBron and AD torching teams starters, then Kuzma and the experienced 2nd unit keeping the party going while LeBron and AD rest.
If Kuzma can accept this role, his scoring numbers should go through the roof. Kuzma is capable of being a 20ppg+ scorer. If he gets the responsibility from his coaching staff and peers Kuzma might be able to help the Lakers in a big and bad way.