Kyle Kuzma has been really impressive during his first two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. After dropping to 27th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, the 6-foot-9 forward from the University of Utah has transformed himself into one of the team's best players. Last season, he was the Lakers' second-leading scorer behind LeBron James, and that is one of the main reasons why he's the only member left from the Purple and Gold's once-celebrated young core.

But now that the Lakers have acquired superstar forward Anthony Davis, a lot of people are suddenly worried about Kuzma's future with the team. Of course, there is no doubt that Bron and AD will lead the team's championship quest. So where does the incoming third-year forward fit into all of this?

There are a lot of possibilities for Kuzma next season, especially if he continues to play with a chip on his shoulder. And while it may be too early to say that he will be the team's third superstar, don't be surprised if he exceeds a lot of your expectations once again.

With all that being said, here are the three bold predictions for Kuzma next season.

3. He will remain a starter

When the Lakers acquired Davis last month, there was a lot of chatter about Kuzma potentially moving to the bench. And for someone who averaged close to 19 points per game last season, that idea actually makes sense. Kuzma will definitely be a force with the team's second unit, and he will keep the team's momentum going when the starters are getting their much-deserved rest.

However, if LA is really optimistic about Kuzma's potential, they would keep him as a starter, and we believe that's what's going to happen. Playing alongside James and Davis will give Kuzma the opportunity to learn and grow as a player. Sharing minutes with two of the top five players in the league will keep him motivated to improve his game. We've seen his numbers increase while playing with James last season, and while his production might take a bit of a dip next season, Kuzma will still find ways to become more effective on the floor for the Lakers.

He wouldn't be upset if he comes off the bench, but at this point, the rising star deserves to be with LA's starting unit.

2. He will be a much better 3-point shooter

One of Kuzma's weaknesses last season was his 3-point shooting. After hitting 36 percent from beyond the arc as a rookie, it dropped to 30 percent in his sophomore year.

That should change next season.

Most of the opposing teams' defenses will be focused on LeBron and Davis, which means a lot of their teammates will get a ton of open looks. Kuzma will probably one of the Lakers players waiting on the perimeter, ready to knock those 3-point bombs. Of course, he wouldn't limit himself as just a spot-up shooter. He's still capable of driving to the basket and getting high percentage looks, but if he can improve his perimeter shooting, that will give the Lakers another inside-outside offensive threat.

Best case scenario? Kuzma will hit the 37 percent mark from deep.

1. He will be a candidate for Most Improved Player of the Year

Kuzma has the potential to be an All-Star, I think most of us know that already, but playing with LeBron and Davis will probably prevent him from achieving that next season. Still, he'll probably be good enough to become the third-best player on the team, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see his name in the Most Improved Player of the Year discussions.

Let's face it, although Kuzma is still a work in progress, he has done enough to convince the Lakers that he can be the franchise's next superstar. And while the arrival of LeBron and AD probably would limit him to some extent, there's still a great chance that he'll excel with this new-look Lakers squad.

Kuzma's performance next season will be similar to that of the Toronto Raptors' Pascal Siakam last season. The Raps started their 2018-19 campaign with Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry as the consensus top two players on the team, but when the stakes grew higher, Siakam took his game to a whole new level and he became one of the most important players in their championship run.

As long as Kuzma is motivated enough to continue to prove himself to the rest of the league, he will have another great season for the Lakers.