Los Angeles Lakers: Which players have the most to prove in the playoffs?
Los Angeles Lakers with something to prove: Kyle Kuzma
You all know what type of season Kyle Kuzma was having before the coronavirus rudely stepped in and interrupted. Kyle Kuzma averaged 12.5 PPG and 4.5 RPG while shooting an incredibly awful 29 percent from distance. He blended terrible shooting and rebounding with cringe-worthy defense, creating a basketball marinade so disgusting that a hungry dog would puke after sniffing it.
Kyle Kuzma was the Lakers’ golden boy. He was the one player out of the young core who wasn’t traded during the offseason because of his work ethic, offensive talent, and ability to fit with LBJ and AD.
Fast forward one year, and the former Utah product has a lot to prove during the upcoming playoffs. He needs to show that he can team up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis and contribute alongside them. If he can’t, then he too might be traded after the postseason.
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There’s hope for Kuzma, though. Three years ago, Jayson Tatum struggled through a mostly disappointing rookie year averaging 14 PPG and 5 RPG. Once the playoffs started, Jayson Tatum’s play became a revelation for his squad, the Boston Celtics.
Tatum averaged 18.5 during 19 playoff games as a starter. Tatum’s playoff run catapulted his career by instilling him with the confidence to know that he could dominate against the best competition.
There are about 1,000 caveats to the Tatum and Kuzma comparison. Tatum is one of the best young shooters in the association (career average of 40 percent from deep), Kuzma is one of the worst high volume 3-point shooters to ever play in the NBA. Tatum is an elite defender, Kyle Kuzma is a horrific defender. Tatum is an All-Star, on his way to superstardom, Kuzma is a middling bench player hoping to stick on the Lakers past this season.
Despite all the caveats in the Kuzma/Tatum comparison, there is one glaring similarity—Kuzma’s going to get a chance to prove himself in the playoffs just like Tatum did a few years ago. LeBron and Rondo are going to continue to pass the ball to “Kuz,” and he’s never been shy about launching shots.
If Kuzma starts to hit from the outside and he ups his defense, he could not only find himself with a new multi-year deal with the Lakers, but he could also launch his career to new heights.