3. Kyle Kuzma needs fewer minutes
This is a hill that I have decided to die on and until he proves me wrong and makes me look foolish, I just cannot see myself switching base. Kyle Kuzma is not that good of a basketball player and at this point in his career, he kind of is who he is.
He is a fine role player and while his shooting numbers have gone up and he has been a better defensive player, he still is not that great of a role player and should not be getting the minutes that he is getting.
If Vogel is going to give Caruso more minutes, then they have to come from somewhere and while they are not the same position, I would not mind at all if Kuzma plays 5-7 fewer minutes per game. He is currently averaging 24.5 minutes per game.
Kuzma is averaging 10.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and is shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc. Not bad, right?
The thing about Kuzma, and it has been my biggest gripe dating back to last season, is that the team is simply worse when he is on the court.
Consider this: every single player on the Lakers except Jared Dudley (who does not even play) has a better offensive rating when Kuzma is off the court compared to when he is on the court. The lowest increase is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at +3.7, the biggest increase (for an actual rotation player) is Alex Caruso at +11.5.
Every rotation player except Markieff Morris has a better defensive rating when Kuzma is on the bench as well. Offensive and defensive ratings hinge on the team’s performance and it is clear by these numbers that the Lakers are simply better when he is not playing.
Kuzma should be getting the minutes that Caruso is getting and Caruso should be getting the minutes that Kuzma is getting.