The Los Angeles Lakers know what they'll be getting out of LeBron James and Anthony Davis once the season resumes in the NBA bubble on July 30. However, when it comes to the team's third option, widely considered to be Kyle Kuzma, it uncertain what to expect over the next couple of months.
Kuzma has been a draft-day steal for the Lakers ever since they took him in late in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft. He's exceeded expectations and become a household name in Los Angeles, but he's been inconsistent this season leading to doubts about what he can provide during this potential championship run.
On Monday, Lakers head coach Frank Vogel tried to set the record straight when it comes to Kuzma. Vogel has spoken highly of Kuzma as of late and that continued on Monday during a Zoom call in which he talked about what he's seen from the third-year forward in the bubble thus far.
“Kuz has been one of our best players since this restart in these practices,” Vogel said. “He's had a couple of stretches where he just dominated the floor and it has been really encouraging to see.
“He had some inconsistency with the beginning of our season because he dealt with three different injuries that really prohibited him from getting his legs under him. The shot-making wasn't always there, but its been there at a very high level during this restart and we're very encouraged and excited about what having a sort of a real training camp or healthy training camp could mean for him.
“Hopefully, that leads to an increased role and gives us that boost that we're looking for.”
Obviously, the Lakers will lean heavily on James and Davis as they attempt to win a title during their time in the NBA bubble. The two superstars will be the two-headed monster that drives this team and will likely dictate how far they can go during the playoffs.
Although it will be a postseason driven by two superstars, the Lakers will still need to have a reliable third option to emerge in order to help give this team some balance and added firepower off the bench. Kuzma will be looked at as that option moving forward and hearing Vogel talk about him in that way should make fans excited about the prospect of a deep run in the playoffs with a team prepared to make some noise in Orlando.
Kuzma's numbers may leave something to be desired this season, especially when it comes to his shooting percentages as he's shot poorly from beyond the arc at a career-low 29.7 percent. However, he's battled multiple injuries throughout the season and has had to adjust to a new role as a player that has taken a backseat to Davis as the second option on the team.
There's no question that Kuzma has a lot of update with potential to become a star in the future and he'll be put to the test during this time in the bubble in which Vogel will call upon him to step up and take the pressure off the team's two stars offensively. Only time will tell if the Utah product is up for the challenge as he'll have no shortage of opportunities in the coming months to prove his worth.
Follow Us
Subscribe