The Los Angeles Lakers came into this season with a huge amount of expectations after they signed LeBron James to a four-year deal. From being a young rebuilding team, the Purple and Gold quickly became a championship contender in a lot of people's eyes. During the earlier stages of the season, it looked like they were going to become one of the best teams in the West, but then injuries hampered their momentum and their performance declined.
Now, they have officially missed the playoffs for the sixth straight year.
For second-year forward Kyle Kuzma, it has been a frustrating season. In an interview he had with Kyle Goon of Orange County Register, he said that they were a bit loose last season because of the lesser expectations from fans.
“I mean, of course, it was a little bit more fun. Last year everybody knew it was development: We were way out of the playoffs a long time ago, unlike this year, where (the playoff race) kind of dwelled and dwelled.”
Kyle Kuzma also admits that along with LeBron James comes the hefty challenge of bringing a title back to Los Angeles, but he emphasized that they should continue having more fun because that's what basketball is about.
“It’s just all about learning from this year, and it’s all about always having fun,” Kuzma said. “You can’t worry about high-pressure situations or let the stakes of something take the joy and fun away from you, no matter what circumstance, no matter the situation just always having fun.”
It's tough to be happy when losses pile up for a team that was once perceived as a contender, but Kuz understands that it takes a lot of hard work to be successful. He just tries to be more joyful in approaching every single game.
For him, the game is easier when the team is having fun being together both on and off the court.
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