What are the Lakers Missing?
After a strong sophomore campaign, primarily as a starter, Kyle Kuzma has struggled in a sixth-man role. He’s averaging 12.9 points and four rebounds while shooting 43 percent from the field.
Kuzma isn’t a strong third-wheel complement to James and Davis. Keep in mind, the Lakers kept him as the young asset to hang around for the team’s push for a title. The front office shipped Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart to the New Orleans Pelicans in the deal for Davis. Kuzma will likely have a chance to find his groove within Vogel’s rotation.
Nevertheless, the Lakers need a two-way wing player—someone who can score and provide some resistance on the other end of the court. The latter isn’t Kuzma’s strong suit, so the front office shouldn’t expect him to turn into a lock-down perimeter or on-ball defender in the second half of the season.
According to McMenamin, who appeared on ESPN’s The Jump, the Lakers will look for help at point guard, which makes sense with Rajon Rondo‘s offensive shortcomings and Alex Caruso averaging just 18.9 minutes per game. Vogel could simply increase the latter’s time on the court, but James may feel more comfortable with a battle-tested floor general when he’s off the ball.