Kyle Kuzma echoes Dwight Howard when discussing 2020 NBA champion Lakers

In a span of just four years, the Los Angeles Lakers have erased almost every sign of the team that won a championship in 2020. Los Angeles has since fired Frank Vogel, hired and parted ways with Darvin Ham, and brought on JJ Redick. It's also split with every player on the title-winning roster except Anthony Davis and LeBron James.

In less than half a decade, the Lakers have buried their most recent championship season and moved forward with a vision that has thus far produced just one trip beyond the first round of the playoffs.

It's one of the most bizarre championship roster stories in recent memory, as minimal effort was put into sustaining that period of greatness. As such, it should come as no surprise that the players whom Los Angeles shipped out have since criticized the organization for their actions—Dwight Howard included.

In a recent interview with ALL-STAR Magazine, Kyle Kuzma added his name to the list of disappointed ex-Lakers by expressing his feeling that the front office gave up on him and the championship team too soon.

“I think it’s tough because I think they kind of gave up on me and they gave up on that team, too, a little too early. Probably panicked a little bit. But you know in the NBA, things happen fast. You never know what’s going to happen next. It’s always like a revolving door. So we had a tough little stretch, but it happens.”

It's an understandable and admittedly common take, as the Lakers were quick to give up on a team that overcame unique adversity to win a championship in 2019-20.

Kyle Kuzma believes Lakers broke up the championship team too soon

The Lakers followed up their championship season in 2019-20 by going 42-30 in 2020-21. It's a truly underrated feat considering James missed 27 games that year and Davis was absent for 36 outings.

Despite the inconsistent availability of the team's top two players, the Lakers ranked No. 1 in the NBA in defensive rating.

Unfortunately, the Lakers lost in the first round of the playoffs. James posted the lowest postseason scoring average of his career, while Davis was uncharacteristically inefficient during his worst-ever playoff series.

It didn't help that Kuzma averaged 6.3 points per game on .292/.174/.667 shooting during that first-round debacle, but one still can't help but wonder if Los Angeles should've given the team one more chance.

Instead of seeing if the roster was capable of winning another championship with a healthy Davis and James, the Lakers blew it all up. It traded Kuzma and 3-and-D wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for Russell Westbrook, and allowed Alex Caruso to walk in free agency.

It was an offseason that mirrored the Lakers' decision to not bring Dwight Howard or Rajon Rondo back after the 2019-20 championship season despite the significant roles they played in the team's success.

Fast forward to 2023-24 and there isn't a trace to be found of the team that won a title in 2019-20 and ranked No. 1 in the NBA in defensive rating in 2020-21. More importantly, there's been no sign of the team that managed to win despite injuries suffered by Davis and James.

A 2023 Western Conference Finals appearance may have softened the blow, and the young core in place is promising, but the Lakers' decision to completely depart from the championship-winning formula continues to leave former players scratching their heads.