The Los Angeles Lakers got Kyle Kuzma's best night of the season during a 125-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, as the forward logged a season-high 40 minutes and scored 36 points with LeBron James and Anthony Davis both out of the lineup. Lakers head coach Frank Vogel has heard all the trade rumors surrounding his young wing, but stressed people must be patient with his season, even if it hasn't yielded the success most expected.

The Lakers forward entered this season dealing with an ongoing left ankle injury, one which stemmed from Kuzma's time with Team USA in the summer and later flared up in mid-December, forcing him out of action for a few games.

Asked how much of Kyle Kuzma's struggles was predicated on his injuries, the Lakers coach noted the significance:

“I think it’s real,” said Vogel, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “Like I said, a lot of it is just he’s been hampered by the injuries and just struggling a little bit to try to find his rhythm. But since he’s been back, since we shut him down for a few games, he’s been playing at a really high level. A couple games where he didn’t really score the ball well, but hopefully this is just another step in that growth into that role, and hopefully he keeps it going.”

Frank Vogel won't force himself to engage the Lakers youngster, rather letting his motivation come from within:

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“I try not to. He’s a confident guy,” said Vogel. “A lot of people are trying to create sort of an issue, like, ‘What’s going on with Kuz?’ or ‘Why aren’t we getting more out of Kuz?’ and all that stuff. To me, it’s just a matter of time. Everybody just has to be patient, wait, it’s gonna continue to grow. The role’s gonna continue to grow, his comfort level’s gonna continue to grow and you’re gonna see performances like you saw tonight from him.”

Kyle Kuzma has been one of the names floating around the trade market, though the Lakers are unlikely to give him up for just any offer. His 36-point outing is a sign of why he's held in such high esteem by Lakers brass, who see him as a core member of this team.