Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking franchise’s most valuable building blocks

3. Kyle Kuzma

I honestly considered three different players for this spot on the list.

One consideration was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who’s been terrific so far with the Lakers. The one year remaining on his contract and possibility of him not being re-signed took him out of the running. Jordan Clarkson was also considered, but I wouldn’t put it past Magic to trade him without a second thought if the right deal came across his desk.

That led me to Kyle Kuzma, the Lakers’ rookie who’s made waves despite his relatively unspectacular draft status. It’s still very early in his NBA career, but the future appears very bright for the Utah alum.

He’s only a month into his NBA career, and Kuzma has already asserted himself as an offensive force. He quickly earned the trust of the Lakers coaching staff, assuming a key role off the bench right out of the gate before stepping in as a starter for the injured Larry Nance Jr. When the game is on the line, you can often find Kuzma taking the tough shots without an ounce of hesitation.

The best part is that he’s only going to get better. The building blocks are there for Kuzma to be a star on the offensive end as well as a reliable defender. He’s still got some work to do when it comes to keeping opponents in check, but he’s made some smart plays and has the athleticism to develop into a plus defender.

This Lakers team may be young, but it’s overflowing with talent. If Kuzma’s early showing is a sign of things to come, there’s plenty for this franchise to be excited about.