Kyle Kuzma
Kyle Kuzma will not break out this season.
Anthony Davis and LeBron James are high on Kyle Kuzma entering the 2021 season.
"“you can tell the difference” between Kuz from last year and this year, even if that’s just a 2-month difference. “The way he’s playing right now, the game is slowing down (for him … he’s going to be a big piece for us.”"
LeBron James also gave Kyle Kuzma a shoutout on Twitter by proclaiming the former Utah product will be one of the breakout stars in the NBA this year.
Kyle Kuzma has shown improvement over the last year. He went from a below-average defender in 2019 to a mediocre defender in 2020. He also improved his offensive and defensive rebounding percentages. He’s even gotten better at swinging the ball and generating offense for his teammates off quick passes and drive and kick action.
Here’s the thing, though: Even though Kyle Kuzma just signed a three-year, $40 million contract with the Lakers, it doesn’t make sense to start him next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Lakers don’t need his skillset—even though it’s improved—in conjunction with LBJ and AD.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis are two of the best offensive players of this generation. They will soak up most of the Lakers’ offensive possessions when they are in the game together.
Anthony Davis is a three-level stud. He can generate step back looks from beyond the arc (look for AD’s three-point percentage to inch towards 40 percent this season), he’s a master of the midrange, capable of hitting turnaround jumpers over anyone, and he’s one of the best finishers at the rim in the league.
LeBron James isn’t quite the pure scorer that AD is, but he can also generate his own shot from anywhere on the floor. LeBron James is also the best drive-and-kick player in the NBA, a master at getting to the rack, drawing two or three defenders, and finding the open man.
LBJ and AD need players who can space the floor, giving them air to breathe on offense, and they need guys who can defend the opposing team’s best offensive weapons so their legs don’t turn to mush when it’s time to go to work on the fun side of the ball.
Say what you want about Kyle Kuzma. Some fans love him, and some hate him, but all the stats paint the picture of a poor outside shooter and a guy who’s not a top-tier perimeter defender.
- Career three-point percentage: 33%
- 2020 D-Raptor: -0.31
- 2020 DBPM: -1.30
- 2020 D-RPM: -0.90
Kyle Kuzma still isn’t capable of slowing down the best perimeter options in the NBA. Players like Devon Booker, James Harden, and Paul George light up with joy when they see Kuz standing in front of them.
Frank Vogel should start Wesley Matthews, a player who finished second in 2020 among all shooting guards in ESPN’s real plus-minus and who knocked down a very respectable 38 percent of his attempts from deep throughout his career.
Kyle Kuzma is still a valuable player, and he won’t be replaced by THT, at least not this year. Kuz will almost certainly continue to come off the bench and get around 20 to 24 minutes per game.
It’s hard to imagine Kuz improving much upon his 12 PPG and 5 RPG from last season. Perhaps he’ll average 14 points per game and continue to improve as a defender, but we can’t consider that a breakout season.