The Los Angeles Lakers were hoping two rookies, Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma, would help the franchise return to former glory. It hasn't gone exactly to plan yet, but the latter exceeded expectations, with the former doing far better than people will give him credit for given the hyperbolic goals attached to his aura.

Nevertheless, the Lakers need both players to continue to develop in special ways. For Ball, there are many question marks, including his frame. Luckily for those who love some purple and gold shooty hoops, and according to Kuzma, the former UCLA standout is hitting the weight room.

“He has been in there pretty much every day I have been. You can tell he is taking the weight room a lot more serious and that is going to help him recover faster and hopefully be on the court more.”

Earlier in the week, Los Angeles general manager Rob Pelinka said he wanted the 20-year-old to focus on building more muscle to withstand the physical toll that comes with playing an entire NBA season.

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“Some of the great players in the game… I am not going to use their names because we are not allowed to talk about players on other teams, but we sat down with a picture of an MVP and First-Team All-NBA type players. We said here was their body when they were 20, and here’s their body when they were 23 when they became All-Stars or MVPs. What do you see in that transformation? It was a commitment to the weight room and getting strong. For us to succeed, Lonzo knows that he’s got to physically take an 82-game season.”

Whether muscle means excellence is not yet known. That being said, it probably won't hurt Los Angeles as the Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball era continue to grow.