Coming into the 2017-18 NBA season, the hot topic of discussion for the Los Angeles Lakers was the power forward position. Head coach Luke Walton was reluctant to name a starter at the four spot until the season opener. Larry Nance Jr. was ultimately given the starting job with Julius Randle heading to the bench, and rookie Kyle Kuzma expected to cut into his minutes.
Seven games into this season, all three players have played exceptionally well in their new roles. Kuzma hasn't missed a beat since becoming a household name during the Summer League while Nance has shined as a starter and Randle has been rejuvenated in a limited bench role.
After practice on Wednesday, Lonzo Ball talked about the team's three-headed monster at power forward and how it has made the Lakers so dynamic early in the 2017-18 campaign.
“They play tremendously together and they all bring something different to the game,” Ball said. “Larry is going to be athletic. Rebound for us. Julius is going to slash, and Kuzma is going to score from all different levels, so they all help the team in different ways. We appreciate them a lot.”
Randle's response to becoming a bench player was the main concern for the Lakers, and it was uncertain how he'd react in terms of play on the floor. Although Randle is apparently unhappy with coming off the bench as he's referred to it as “not my decision,” the fourth-year forward has become a solid contributor on both ends of the floor.
The Kentucky product seems to be playing with a different level of energy on defense while also continuing to be a force offensively. The 22-year-old is averaging 11.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 66.7 percent from the floor in 19.1 minutes per contest.
As for Nance, the stats are very similar to Randle's at 11.1 points and 7.9 rebounds. Nance could eventually become a player that consistently gets a double-double as he's got three on the season thus far. He's also the type player that whose value doesn't show up on the stat all the time with his hustle plays and energy he brings on a nightly basis.
Kuzma, however, has quickly become one of the team's best offensive threats on the floor. The rookie forward is currently averaging 14.0 points per game to along with 5.0 rebounds. The Utah product is also shooting 53.3 percent from the floor.
With all three of these forwards playing at a high level alongside Ball and Brandon Ingram, the team has some depth moving forward as they continue to try to rebuild this franchise into a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference once again.
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