A couple of years ago, it seemed like the Los Angeles Lakers have landed a huge steal in Kyle Kuzma. He slipped in the NBA Draft and looked poised to break out as a solid two-way player rather sooner than later.
But as the years went by, not only did Kuzma not progressed as a scorer but also, he regressed. He became a much better defender and made some winning plays every now and then. But generally, he was just inconsistent.
So, following a disappointing end to last season and Kuzma’s comments on his role with the team, it seems like the organization has finally decided to move on from him and their fielding calls about his trade value.
NBA News: Lakers Want To Move On From Kyle Kuzma
“Meanwhile, Los Angeles continues to gauge rival teams’ interest in Kyle Kuzma, sources told B/R, although Schroder does carry a higher trade value around the NBA,” reported Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
Kuzma doesn’t seem satisfied with the Sixth Man role he’s getting under Frank Vogel. He believes he’s an All-Star caliber player who can average north of 20 points per game if put in the right situation:
“My biggest thing is I just want to play within a consistent role,” Kuzma said. “If I have that ability, I’ll be able to showcase what I can really do. There were parts of this year—and even anywhere else in my career—when I’m in a consistent space, I’m out there handling the ball, making teammates better, scoring, shooting, defending, rebounding. I think if I’m in that space, I’ll be good.”
Kuzma has shown glimpses of being a legit scoring threat. He’s long enough to play both forward spots and even some small-ball center and has made great strides as a defender. Nonetheless, his inconsistency and careless attitude could be big red flags for any team looking to get him.
