LOS ANGELES – As the NBA trade deadline approaches, the one player on the Los Angeles Lakers mentioned more than any other in trade rumors is Kyle Kuzma. That cloud of uncertainty has been hanging over Kuzma's head ever since he became a Laker, and this year might be when he's finally traded elsewhere.
Although his future is uncertain in Los Angeles, the 24-year-old forward is approaching this week with the right mentality while earning high praise from LeBron James for his effort on the basketball floor. James spoke to the media after the Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night at the Staples Center and chimed in on Kuzma's recent stretch of impressive performances.
“He's been amazing over the last three games,” James said of Kuzma. “It started with the Portland [Trail Blazers] game, and it went into [Sacramento] and then going into tonight as well. He's just been all over the glass, and it's helped us out a lot, tremendously. He's also been getting a lot of rebounds off free-throw misses and giving us extra possessions, so he's been really good.”
In two of the last three games, Kuzma has been a beast on the glass with a combined 29 rebounds. Against the Spurs, Kuzma ripped down 12 boards while also adding 18 points in what turned out to be a 27-point blowout against Gregg Popovich's squad.
Although Kuzma has been criticized throughout the season for his inconsistency, the young forward is trying to leave it all out on the floor as of late while turning some heads in the process. Despite his effort and hustle recently, there's still a chance he gets traded before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday. However, it's safe to say he's still got a promising future ahead no matter what the immediate future holds for the Detroit native.
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