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The Sudden Evolution of Kyle Kuzma & What It Could Mean for the Lakers!

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Fans of the triumphant Lakers and shorthanded Clippers both had good reasons to be excited about how their teams played in last night’s season restart but the game’s biggest takeaway was the evolution of Kyle Kuzma.

We noted how Kuzma was finally healthy, had fixed his broken 3-point shot, and was now featuring higher percentage spot-up threes vs. more difficult threes off the bounce but last night he showcased his refocused defense. Kyle’s elite individual defense on Kawhi Leonard, especially in the second half, was as important to the Lakers 103–101 win as his 16 points, 7 boards, 2 dimes, and 4 of 7 shooting from deep in 31.7 starter level minutes.

That Kuz played the third most minutes after LeBron James and Anthony Davis and was on the floor for all of the fourth quarter except for 82 seconds showed how critical Vogel thought he was to the Lakers’ victory. While Vogel gave Kyle a brief rest with 3:51 left in the game, he rushed him back with just 2:29 left to finish the game with LeBron and AD, a vote of confidence by the coach of the need for Kuzma to close the game.

But Vogel wasn’t rushing Kuzma back in the game because of his offense. He wanted Kuz to close the game because of his defense, specifically against Clippers’ superstar Kawhi Leonard, who traditionally torches the Lakers. “Exceptional tonight. He’s had some other strong performances. I don’t know if it was the best. It’s right up there. But in particular, when he was switched onto Kawhi, he had some good possessions,” said coach Vogel.

So what does this mean for the Lakers? First, the evolution of Kyle Kuzma’s game at both ends of the court says he may have finally found the blueprint for how to succeed playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Coach Frank Vogel was ecstatic about Kuzma’s performance alongside LeBron and AD. “When we have A.D. at the five, if he can perform like that on the defensive end, we’re going to win a lot of games,” Vogel said.

The big problem Kyle Kuzma’s struggled with since the Lakers traded for Anthony Davis last summer was how to fit in a lineup when the Lakers had superstar starters at the small and power forward positions he played. Ironically, the solution the Lakers could be forced to adopt is moving Anthony Davis from power forward to center to make room for Kyle Kuzma at power forward, which ultimately could make the Lakers a better team.

While Vogel will continue to start JaVale McGee at center and give Dwight Howard minutes at the five, there’s no question the Lakers need more Anthony Davis at the five against elite teams like the Bucks and Clippers. Just like back in March when the Lakers took down the Buck and Clippers in a weekend sweep, AD played half of the game’s 48 minutes and 24 of his 35 minutes at center, usually with Kyle Kuzma alongside him at the four.

Beyond making the Lakers better built to compete against the Bucks and Clippers, the evolution of Kyle Kuzma offensively and defensively could negate the need for the Lakers to seek a blockbuster trade this offseason.

What Should Lakers Fans Be Looking For in Tonight’s Laker/Clippers Game?

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Now that the four month coronavirus hiatus is finally over and professional basketball is back, here’s a short list of what Lakers fans should be looking for in tonight’s season restart game between the LA Lakers and LA Clippers:

1. Who wins the battle of the superstars?

Lakers superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis looked to be in mid-season form in the two scrimmages they played while Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard shot just 32% from the field and 27% from beyond the arc. How well each team’s superstars play will likely determines who wins the last regular season matchup between the Lakers and the Clippers. The key to watch will be who on each team defends the other team’s superstars.

2. Who wins the battle of the role players?

The Lakers lost Avery Bradley to family issues and Rajon Rondo to injury but replaced them with Dion Waiters and JR Smith while the Clippers will be missing services of Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, and Patrick Beverley. Should the teams’ superstars battle to a standoff, the Lakers should have a big advantage when it comes to role players considering how important Williams, Harrell, and Beverley have been to the Clippers’ success.

3. Who wins the battle of the coaching staffs?

Doc Rivers is considered to be one of the top head coaches in the NBA and has done an outstanding job juggling lineups and rotations as the Clippers deployed extensive load management for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Frank Vogel has also done an excellent job as Lakers head coach and had the team peaking with a back-to-back weekend sweep of the Bucks and Clippers before the shut down as he outcoached Budenholzer and Rivers.

4. Who cares more about winning the game?

The Lakers are going to want to even up the season series with the Clippers at two games apiece while the Clippers are more likely to see the game as not important and focus on the playoffs since they will be shorthanded. LeBron, AD, and the Lakers will want to send a message about how serious they are about winning this championship so it would not be surprising to see them make this a statement game and rout the Clippers tonight.

How Kuzma and Waiters Breaking Out Could Change Lakers’ Offseason Plans!

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One’s been classified as a poor fit and future trade bait while the other was ridiculed as a bust on the way out of the league but Kyle Kuzma and Dion Waiters suddenly have an opportunity to change their future trajectories.

While it may be silly and presumptuous after just a couple of scrimmages to expect Kyle Kuzma’s 3-point shooting woes and Dion Waiters’ behavior issues to suddenly be solved, we’re in unprecedented, unpredictable times. The four month coronavirus hiatus has turned the sports world upside down, changed the landscape of what’s now normal, and opened doors to unexpected opportunities for struggling players like Kuzma and Waiters.

For Kyle Kuzma, the four months off allowed him to work on his body and shot, improve his confidence and shot selection, and revamp his game to better fit with LeBron James and Anthony Davis both on and off the court. For Dion Waiters, joining the shorthanded Lakers who lost Avery Bradley to family issues and Rajon Rondo to injury gave him a lifesaving opportunity to play a major role on a championship caliber team and redeem his career.

While Kuzma and Waiters will have to prove their contributions are not training camp mirages, the potential one or both of them might enjoy breakout playoff performances are heady spirits for thirsty Lakers fans. Short term, Kyle and Dion could be the wild cards the Lakers need to win their 17th NBA championship. Long term, they could be the missing talent the team needs to build an NBA dynasty that outlasts LeBron James.

While helping win a championship would be a huge bonus, the grand prize that would dwarf that result would be Kuzma and Waiters becoming long term components and contributors to the next Los Angeles Lakers dynasty. A pair of talented budding young stars like 25-year old Kyle Kuzma and 28-year old Dion Waiters to play with 27-year superstar Anthony Davis would dramatically extend the post-LeBron Lakers’ championship window.

Before coronavirus forced the NBA to suspend the season, the Lakers were expected to trade forward Kyle Kuzma in the offseason for a combo guard who could fill the team’s need for a third scorer and second playmaker. Should the early promise shown by Kuzma and Waiters turn out to be true, the Lakers’ offseason plans could suddenly change and team might focus on signing both players to affordable and tradeable multi-year contracts.

That would not only give the Lakers the option of keeping both players and building around them but also give them two valuable trading chips whom they might be able to include in a package to bring back a true superstar. Not only would the Lakers suddenly have a much deeper and younger roster but they might suddenly be looking to keep their first round draft pick and maybe even buy a second pick from a team looking to cut expenses.

Alternatively, the Lakers might put a package together that included Kyle Kuzma, Dion Waiters, Danny Green, Alex Caruso, and a pair of first round picks in a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bradley Beal, or Zach LaVine. Before the coronavirus hiatus, the Lakers had zero chance of being able to put together a package to trade for a legitimate third superstar. Kuzma and Waiters enjoying breakout performances in the playoffs could change that.

There’s no question Kuzma and Waiters will have to prove themselves in the next 8 seeding games and throughout the playoffs but what’s at stake for the Lakers is more than just a championship; it’s about a future dynasty.

Why Lou Williams’ Visit to Strip Club Wouldn’t Have Happened on Lakers!

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One thing clear from the start is winning a championship in the Orlando bubble is going to test the mettle and character and challenge the will and discipline to win of NBA players like no other title in league history.

While Lou Williams being forced to quarantine for 10 days for violating protocol and visiting a strip club while excused from the bubble seems like a minor offense, it could have had serious consequences. Players not taking the coronavirus threat seriously is the kind of behavior that could have ended up compromising the Clippers’ opportunity to win a championship and/or the league’s ability to finish the 2020 season.

While I’m not trying to demonize Lou Williams, it’s hard for me to imagine the same thing happening with any player on the Lakers, not with a team leader like LeBron James setting the tone and tenor for his teammates. Pursuing an NBA championship in the harsh environment of the Orlando bubble demands a level of dedication and commitment inconsistent with visiting a strip club when on leave to attend a relative’s memorial services.

As NBA analyst Rafael Barlowe said in yesterday’s Lakers Fast Break podcast, it would have been different had it been 23-year old Landry Shamet who got caught instead of the Clippers’ 33-year old team leader. The incident raises legitimate questions about the Clippers’ leadership and commitment to win. Playing in the bubble is going to separate the players who are serious about winning from those who lack the dedication.

Imagine LeBron’s response had one of the Lakers’ young players broken containment and risked exposure to coronavirus by visiting a strip club? The King’s anger and displeasure would have been scalding and immediate. Yet we hear nothing from Clippers’ superstars Kawhi Leonard or Paul George and just a weak joking rebuke from head coach Doc Rivers, which highlights the difference between the Lakers’ and Clippers’ approaches.

Contrast Lou Williams’ decision with Alex Caruso choice to miss his sister’s wedding because of how a possible 10-day quarantine could adversely impact his Lakers team’s ability to get in sync for the upcoming playoffs. There’s no question LeBron James’ serious all-business approach to the NBA’s season restart weighed heavily on Alex Caruso’s mind when he made his personal decision not to leave the bubble for his sister’s wedding.

While the Lakers seem primed for the restart of the NBA season with all 17 roster players now in the bubble and cleared to play, the Clippers are still struggling to get all of their players to Orlando and out of quarantine. Williams was not the only Clipper player who left the bubble for personal reasons. Opting not to bring their two-way players to Orlando, the Clippers were only able to suit up 10 of 15 players for a scrimmage last week.

NBA players are human but playing in a bubble in a pandemic in Orlando creates an entirely different dynamic when it comes to committing to remain in isolation for a couple of months while pursuing a championship. We’re going to see lots of players not willing to make the personal sacrifices the bubble demands. There are going to be teams that, when they get down 0–2 in the playoffs, are just going to throw in the towell and go home.

Having a championship veteran leader like LeBron James clearly gives the Lakers a huge mental advantage over the competition when facing a unique and challenging situation like this season’s playoffs in the Orlando bubble.

How Kyle Kuzma’s Fixed 3-Point Shot May Have Saved His Future as a Laker!

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It was just a scrimmage but Kuzma’s 25-point performance with 5 of 7 from deep versus the Magic not only backed up Frank Vogel’s statements Kuz had been dominating practices but could also end up saving his Lakers’ career.

It’s one thing to see LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing like they were in midseason form but watching Kyle Kuzma confidently and smoothy drain 10 of 13 shots including his first four three-pointers was a special surprise. Kuzma was the last of the ‘Baby Lakers’ left after the blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis, a talented 25-year old whose disappointing last two seasons dimmed his bright promise and destined him as trade bait this offseason.

While that’s a lot to take away from a scrimmage and two weeks of practice, there are reasons to be optimistic. To start with, Kuzma is finally completely healthy after struggling through the season with multiple ankle injuries. The four months off not only allowed him time to work on his body and shot but also to consider his situation with the Lakers and figure out how he could succeed playing with superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

In addition to tweaking his shot mechanics, Kyle appears to have changed his shot selection, specifically to take more spot-up and corner threes, which are the type of shots for which he has always shot a high percentage. Before the season hiatus, Kuz was shooting 50% (26 of 52) on corner threes versus just 24.2% (44 of 182) on above-the-break threes. Above the break, he was shooting over 34% on spot-up threes versus just 15% off the bounce.

While Kuzma’s improved shooting from deep has partly been the result of working on his shot mechanics, it’s obvious the adjustment to improve shot selection and take higher percentage shots has been equally as important. That improved shot selection was clearly evident in the Magic game as the four threes he drained in the first quarter were either open catch-and-shoot or corner threes as opposed to above-the break threes off the bounce.

Turning 25, being in what could be his first serious relationship, and facing the reality he might not be able to control where he ends up playing next season could have contributed to Kyle maturing and learning how to relax. He certainly looked like a different player on the court in these scrimmages, more confident and mentally under control, more patient and willing to let the game come to him, playing with precision and less wasted motion.

While the Lakers don’t want to limit Kuzma to being just a spot-up shooter, there’s little question those are the kinds of shot opportunities that are created playing with superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Lakers’ head coach Frank Vogel reported that “Kuz has been one of our best players since this restart in these practices, he’s had a couple of stretches where he just dominated the floor and it’s been really encouraging to see…”

Success breeds confidence and Kuzma’s mental Achilles heel has always been his three-point shooting. Taking more of the shots he usually makes and fewer of the shots he usually misses seems like a simple adjustment. Truthfully, it’s the adjustment most unsuccessful players find the hardest to make, learning to optimize their strengths. Hopefully, it’s an adjustment that could help fix Kyle Kuzma’s broken shot and save his Lakers’ career.

Whether Kyle can continue his breakout play and become the deep threat the Lakers need on the floor with LeBron James and Anthony Davis will impact the Lakers’ decisions this offseason and Kuzma’s future on the team.