Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma is set to make his season debut against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday after missing all of the preseason and the first four games of the regular season. Kuzma is slated to play 15-20 minutes in his return to the lineup, a measure the Lakers are taking in hopes to gearing him into shape.
The plan is to first ease him into the lineup and slowly bring him along, as the third-year forward has missed nearly five weeks of action as he recovered from a foot ailment:
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania breaks down how the Lakers plan to integrate F Kyle Kuzma into the lineup starting Friday night vs. Mavericks. pic.twitter.com/UxVJwiE4Qk
— Stadium (@Stadium) October 31, 2019
The Mavs will be the first team on the list as the Lakers embark on a three-game road trip against the aforementioned, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Chicago Bulls before returning to Staples Center next Friday to take on the Miami Heat.
Kuzma put up 18.7 points per game last season and has wanted to be the third member of a potential Big Three in Los Angeles, joining LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The 24-year-old, however, doesn't care whether this role takes place as a starter or coming off the bench.
The Lakers have won three in a row since their season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, rebounding nicely from an initial disappointment and hitting their stride after a monster 40-point, 20-rebound outing from Anthony Davis on Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The hope is that Kuzma's addition will bring another layer of scoring to fortify a Lakers team that is quickly looking to stake a claim for the Western Conference crown.
Follow Us
Subscribe