Kyle Kuzma throws subtle shade at Lakers during Twitter Q&A

The Los Angeles Lakers traded Kyle Kuzma alongside Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and the 22nd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft to the Washington Wizards for Russell Westbrook. This was a long-time coming for Kuzma, who had trade rumors attached to his name for several years.

Kuzma will be remembered as a solid rotation player for the Lakers’ 17th championship team that did not quite hit the ceiling that fans expected him to hit. He could not step up as the prohibited third scorer behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Now, on a new team that does not have much in his way at the forward position, Kuzma will get his chance to live out being a true scoring stretch-four, and hopefully for the Wizards, being a great second scoring option behind Bradley Beal.

Kuzma has not been shy talking about his expectations of himself in the past, even saying that he could score 25 points per game and be an all-star in the league. Kuzma took to Twitter on Saturday night to answer some fan questions and he continued to not be shy in his responses.

Kyle Kuzma even threw some subtle shade at the Los Angeles Lakers.

There were multiple answers that we can dissect, the first being Kuzma’s excitement to “be himself” in Washington.

I do not really understand what Kuzma means by being himself. Sure, he did have to play a certain role in Los Angeles that he did not play his first two years in the league. However, that arguably helped Kuzma as he played his most efficient basketball last season.

The averages may not have been that high but he had a more positive impact on the team by taking better looks, not forcing things and being a wing off the bench. Is “being himself” chucking up 18 shots a game to score 25? Maybe.

He followed up this sentiment when a fan asked him what we can expect out of him in his first season with the Wizards.

Again, Kuzma’s averages were down but he was playing better basketball than when his averages were higher. What is the goal here? Play better basketball and help the team win a title or post better individual numbers? It feels like Kuzma is more concerned with the latter.

Kuzma then called himself a “pitbull with no leash” in Washington. Pitbulls are great dogs and I hate the stigma around the breed but there was a reason why Kuzma had that “leash” — for the betterment of the team!

Kuzma did have some positive things to say. He was not shy in expressing that the Lakers are a first-class organization and even referred to a legendary film study after Game 5 of the 2020 NBA Finals as his favorite off-court memory during the Orlando Bubble.

While that is all great, it is clear that Kuzma did not like the role that Frank Vogel, and LeBron James, had for him over the last two seasons with Anthony Davis in town. Now he gets his wish of having a bigger role but gets to play on a far worse team as a result.

Kyle Kuzma will likely learn this season that the grass is not always greener on the other side, although I love his self-confidence.