The Los Angeles Lakers made big headlines during the offseason, especially when they traded for Russell Westbrook. However, it looks like the Washington Wizards are seeing the brighter side of the move.
Getting Kyle Kuzma in returnhas been paying off for Washington, where the forward seems to have found his place in the league. Kuzma moved far froman incredibly big market, far from thespotlight, and he’s finding his best form.
Without big names like LeBron James or Anthony Davis by his side, Kuzma has taken more responsability with a new role at the Wizards. According to teammate Bradley Beal, he needed to get out of the Lakers to perform at his current level.
Bradley Beal takes subtle shot at Lakers to praise Kyle Kuzma
“He now has it where he can flap his wings. He can breathe and relax and go play. He doesn’t have to worry about all that outside stuff, the distractions per se. He can go hoop,” Beal said, as quoted by NBC Sports.
While Beal may have a point, Kuzma preferred not to compare his current team to his previous employers. He’s just happy for everything he’s been living at the capital city this season.
“I’m just in a great situation here in Washington. The coaching staff believes in me, the players believe in me and I’m just having fun, honestly. I’m having a lot of fun,“ Kuzma admitted.
“Fit and opportunity is everything in this league… This is a sport where there are extreme highs and extreme lows. But if you’re in a position, like I am fortunate enough [to be in] and have people that believe in me, you can see what I can do.”
Leaving the franchise he’s been at for four years may have been tough to swallow for Kuzma a few months back. However, it didn’t take long for him to find a home in Washington. He’s been in a terrific run of form lately, scoring 20+ points in his last four games. At the end of the day, maybe he just needed a fresh challenge in his career.