After earning the Los Angeles Lakers' starting power forward job, Larry Nance Jr. averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds to begin the 2017-18 NBA season. Unfortunately, he fractured his left hand against the Portland Trail Blazers eight games in. Since then, head coach Luke Walton inserted Kyle Kuzma into the lineup where he is averaging 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds through 11 starts.
With Nance Jr. eyeing a return against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 27, Walton has a good problem on his hands. According to Tania Ganguli of Los Angeles Times, the second-year head coach revealed who will be the team's starting power forward moving forward:
Luke Walton said if Larry Nance Jr is cleared to go, he doesn't see any reason to not put him back in the starting lineup. Kyle Kuzma has been starting with Nance out.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) November 25, 2017
As Walton considered Nance Jr. to be a better fit with the team's starting lineup prior to the new season, Kuzma will provide another scoring punch off the bench alongside Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson. While Kuzma is more than worthy of the starting job, he should still see significant playing time after averaging 26.8 minutes off the bench.
During Nance Jr.'s 11-game absence, the Lakers went 5-6 and will need him more than ever. After a relatively soft start to the schedule, Los Angeles will face the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors three times each by the end of January.
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