Los Angeles Lakers: 3 candidates for a breakout season in 2019-20

1. Kyle Kuzma

For better or worse, LeBron James and Anthony Davis will be the faces on the Lakers’ marquee for the next few years. Kyle Kuzma, however, could be the impact player — call him the X-factor if you want — whose production can make the difference between a really good team and a championship team.

Kuzma was L.A.’s second-leading scorer last season, averaging 18.7 points per game on 45.6 percent field-goal shooting to go with 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. When LeBron was out of the lineup for 17 straight games with a groin injury, Kuzma was the team’s top scorer, pouring in 21.5 points per game.

Despite L.A. adding Davis to the mix, Kuzma’s offensive output could increase this season due the improvements he’s making going into his third year as a pro.

Kuzma is currently with the U.S. national team, training for the FIBA World Cup, which begins Aug 31 in China. Kuzma has said this summer regimen is better for his development, namely on defense.

He’s also been working on his 3-point shooting after his percentage dropped from 36.6 beyond the arc in his rookie year to 30.3 percent last season. The 6’9″ Kuzma is built to be the ideal stretch-4, a shooter who can also generate points for himself when needed.

Capitalizing on the open looks that’ll come with playing alongside LeBron and Davis could lead to All-Star caliber numbers for Kuzma and a breakout season that serves as a launching pad to superstardom.