Despite the Los Angeles Lakers’ recent struggles, one bright spot for them is the solid play of Kyle Kuzma, who has been a revelation for them since the NBA Summer League. However, his contributions have not been enough for the team to translate it to a winning record so far this season, and they are continuing to struggle to find their form.
Although there are a lot of opportunities the Lakers need to address, the 27th overall pick in last June’s draft cited kicking out the ball from the paint as one of them. He also added, via ClutchPoints’ own Ryan Ward, that they need to locate the open shooters on the perimeter, in order to be more successful.
Kyle Kuzma says the team needs to "do a better job" of kicking out the ball when they're in the paint. Need to find open shooters on the perimeter #LakeShow
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) November 16, 2017
Through 15 games, Kuzma has been performing at a high level, averaging 15.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 31.1 minutes. With Larry Nance Jr. injured, he has stepped up his game further now that he is starting for the Lakers, and is a reliable source for points, rebounds, and energy on the floor.
Kuzma's comments could serve as a wake-up call to his teammates to make those extra passes, which he believes will help them win more games. If there’s any good news for the Lakers at this point, they still have 67 games left in their schedule, which is more than enough for them to turn around their fortunes, and live up to the expectations of their fans, that they can compete for a playoff spot this season.