10. Kyle Kuzma
I hope Kyle Kuzma is not reading this, I do not want him to deactivate his social media accounts again.
In all seriousness, Kyle Kuzma is a fine player and I think in a different situation with a bit bigger of a role he can turn into a solid NBA contributor. However, thus far, he just does not have the traits that it takes to succeed with the Lakers and it can be frustrating to watch at times.
With how the roster is built this season Kuzma is essentially lined up to be the team’s wing defender off the bench. We have seen Kuzma play better than anticipated defensively, because of his athleticism, but the fact is that he is still a pretty big negative on the defensive end.
Mix that with the fact that he is not a consistent nor reliable shooter and it is hard to really make the case for Kuzma being a wing player other than just necessity. Kuzma does have potential as someone who can create his own shot and use his athleticism to explode to the rim but he is just too wildly inconsistent.
Kuzma at his best can be really entertaining to watch. Kuzma at his worst can be the most frustrating player on the team.
In terms of raw, overall talent, he probably belongs to be a spot or two higher on this list. However, because of his fit and impact on the team, I put him 10th.