The Los Angeles Lakers cemented another core piece of their future on Sunday. While it was thought to be highly unlikely, the Purple and Gold front office was able to come to terms with Kyle Kuzma on a three-year, $40 million deal. While the contract itself isn't “sizeable” as Kuzma expected, it does give a reasonable upside for both parties.

LeBron James–who has vouched for Kuzma having a complete turnaround performance-wise this season–voiced his excitement for the 25-year old forward on Twitter:

Kyle Kuzma saw a huge dip in his minutes and production last season compared to the 2018-19 campaign. With Anthony Davis being on board and prioritized with James, it left little room for the incoming fourth-year forward to become a focal point in the Lakers' offensive schemes.

He finished last season averaging 12.8 points while playing only 25 minutes per game, both his lowest in his career.

While the news of Kuzma's deal comes as a sign of things to come for the University of Utah standout, he still has his work cut out for him on the court. With the development and blossoming of Talen Horton-Tucker, Kuzma will have to fight for the minutes he gets. If he's able to continue elevating his game with both James and Davis locked in for the forthcoming future, it could pay off well for the Lakers youngster when he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the age of 28.

For now, Kuzma and the Lakers will continue preparing for the upcoming season as they look to repeat as champions. They open up their regular season against the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 22