Los Angeles Lakers: Power ranking team’s top 5 players right now
5. Kyle Kuzma, SF
Right now, Kyle Kuzma is riding a huge wave of momentum from NBA Summer League. That’s not to say that it’s going to last long once the regular season rolls around, but what he showed during his first taste of NBA action has people thinking the Lakers got a serious steal.
More from Los Angeles Lakers
- NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers
- A surprise LeBron ranking should raise alarm bells for the Lakers
- Surprising Austin Reaves contract detail confirms Lakers got him for a steal
- Instant Grades for the Lakers’ unprecedented Anthony Davis extension
- Report: Lakers have big plans for recent top-10 pick amid roster shakeup
It’s not often we see that type of sharpshooting and scoring potential from a late first round pick, even during Summer League. Still, Kuzma bucked the trend and turned in a stellar performance, lighting it up in the points department.
His chemistry with Lonzo Ball was even more impressive. The two were on the same page from the moment Summer League tipped off. Even when Ball missed the championship game due to injury, Kuzma stepped up in his absence and carried the Lakers to a hard-fought and well-earned title, earning MVP honors for the game.
That’s why we find him here at No. 5, even if he probably isn’t the fifth-most talented player on the roster right now. After all, that is the point of power rankings, right?
It’s very early in the process. For all we know, Kuzma could fizzle out during training camp or the regular season and have a rookie season to forget. Still, at this point in time, all we know is what we saw during Summer League. If that’s a sign of things to come, then the Lakers could have the biggest steal of the 2017 draft class on their hands.