For Los Angeles Lakers fans, the name Kyle Kuzma has virtually become bound together with the word ‘trade' this offseason. After all, Kuz remains one of the more tradeable assets on the roster that they can swap for a substantial support upgrade around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
But perhaps a divorce with the Lakers is exactly what the young forward needs? Former player, ESPN analyst, and famous Kobe Bryant 81-point defender Jalen Rose broke down why Kyle Kuzma needs to get the heck out of LA to unleash his full potential.
“For everybody to see Kyle Kuzma play in a Lakers uniform, it's a valuable experience to play alongside LeBron James, to play along with Anthony Davis, to play for a storied franchise and to learn what the league is about.
“He can be a Champion in L.A., but he can't maximize his potential just by the sheer geometry of their lineup. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are gonna play the Lion's share of minutes up front and you can't have all three of those guys really on the floor. Therefore, he's not gonna be able to score the kind of buckets that he has the potential of scoring.”
The key word there is “potential”. Yes, the Lakers themselves are in dire need of scoring alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, a void many expected Kyle Kuzma to fill. But meshing with stars all of a sudden isn't always the easiest thing to do. Just look at Dennis Schroder, who Kuzma himself is reportedly ‘feuding' with, who went from efficient scorer on a playoff team to ineffective gunner on the Lakers backcourt.
Kyle Kuzma hasn't done the Lakers any favors with his trade value dropping from where it once used to be. But if he doesn't figure it out while wearing Purple & Gold soon, both sides are probably better off going their separate ways.
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