We Need to Talk about Kyle Kuzma – and His Incredible Rookie Year with the Lakers

By MH
- Tweet
- Pin It
Updated: April 30, 2018

Even the most die-hard LA Lakers fan will admit that this has been an underwhelming year for the legendary team. Headed to miss the playoffs again this season, it seems that the Lakers are still struggling to find their pace and recalibrate in the post-Kobe Bryant era. But if they keep an eye open during trade season, they might still be able to build a stronger roster for next year. They’ve already got a lot of young and fresh talent on the team – but instead of early favorite Lonzo Ball, it is another rookie that has helped the LA team finish the season with their head held high. Utah recruit Kyle Kuzma is where the Lakers truly struck gold this year – and they should hold tight to him.

A Steal out of the Nowhere

Noone saw Kyle Kuzma coming – he was drafted in the 27th overall pick by the Brooklyn Nets and then was sort of casually traded to the Lakers along with Brook Lopez, who sent off Timofey Mozgov and D’Angelo Russell in exchange, all part of the Lakers’ approach to shake up their roster in order to improve their gameplay. Early estimates said that Kuzma might even go undrafted – but after his phenomenal performance this season, the Nets must be truly sorry that they let him go. Kuzma positioned himself right from the start as the underdog who was destined to do great things. During Summer League, he led the Lakers in points and recorded a double-double with 30 points and 10 rebounds against the Portland Trail Blazers in the Summer League Championship game – where he was also named the game’s MVP. He has made an incredibly smooth transition into the pro world and was soon chosen as a permanent starter by Luke Walton in early March.

A Consistent Scorer

Ironically, the first game that he started for the Lakers in the regular season was on their November 3 game against the Brooklyn Nets – who saw the player they let slip through their hands take home another double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds. In the Lakers’ December 20 game against the Houston Rockets, who are currently – along with reigning champions Golden State Warriors – among the top contenders in NBA betting to win this year’s Championship, priced at +162.50 by bet365 on March 25 to win the title, he effectively ended the Texas team’s 14-win streak with a personal record of 38 points and 70% shooting, leading the Lakers to a 122-116 win. Long story short, Kuzma is the first NBA rookie to get more than 330 points (with 30 3-point shots) and 120 rebounds in his first 20 games.

What’s in Store?

With this performance, it’s no surprise that Kyle Kuzma might be on other teams’ radars. Rumor has it that the San Antonio Spurs have their sights set on the 22-year-old and are even considering including their superstar Kawhi Leonard in their trade offer – no big surprise there, as Leonard’s season-long injuries and attitude have strained his relationship with the Spurs. As the Lakers are looking for a great player to build their next season’s roster around, Leonard might be a good choice for that – and certainly the only way they should even consider parting ways with their up-and-coming rookie talent.
Otherwise, Kuzma could very well evolve into a talent that Lakers could develop and eventually rely on in a couple of seasons. And they should be careful not to underestimate him again.