Los Angeles Lakers: Grading each starter after 1 month of play
By Jason Elbaum
Power Forward: Kyle Kuzma
The 6’9″ forward out of Utah has demanded attention as the steal of the 2017 NBA Draft from the day he stepped on the floor of the NBA Summer League. His ability to fly around the court at his size and consistently knock down outside shots turned heads all summer as Kuzma took home Summer League Finals MVP for the champion Lakers.
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It was unclear whether Kuzma’s game would translate to the real NBA, but the 22-year-old has shown no fear of his elder opponents. Kuzma’s numbers through 15 games are 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game on 50.3 percent shooting and 81.6 percent from the free throw line.
When starting power forward Larry Nance Jr. went down with a fractured hand in just the eighth game of the season, Luke Walton had already seen enough from Kuzma to name him the team’s starting power forward.
Since Kuzma entered the starting lineup, he is averaging 16.1 points and 9.1 rebounds while playing about 36 minutes per game. This increased playing time has allowed Kuzma to further establish his rhythm in the game, which is evident in his increased scoring and rebound numbers.
Kuzma has stolen the show from Lonzo Ball as far as the Lakers’ most exciting rookie, and has propelled himself behind Ben Simmons in the Rookie of the Year race. The Lakers look like they got a good one with the 27th pick, and it appears he’ll have this starting position locked up until further notice.
Grade: A