Los Angeles Lakers: 5 goals for Kyle Kuzma’s rookie season

2. Rebounding and defensive strengths

Kyle Kuzma needs work defending on the inside, but he still has an upside on defense.

Once again, his effort and hustle received praise and were very noticeable when it came to grabbing boards. He asserted himself and showed the ability to grab rebounds in traffic and in a crowd. What looks difficult for others, Kuzma does well when he applies himself and hustles.

At Utah, he averaged 3.6 offensive rebounds per 40 minutes. His IQ on defense could improve, but he is also capable of switching his man off pick-and-rolls and adjusting.

This is where him becoming the stretch-4 the Los Angeles Lakers need will be vital in the long run. While it’s hard to imagine him matching up against some bigs like Kristaps Porzingis, he should prove to be able to hold his own as he develops with time.