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Last offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers traded nearly all of their young players to acquire Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans and free up salary cap space for a top free agent. The only player left from his young core, once announced, is Kyle Kuzma.
Kuzma did not have the highest ceiling in the group, which included two former No. 2 overall picks in Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram, the latter of whom made an All-Star appearance this season, but was by far the most. productive at first. in.
During his rookie campaign with the Lakers, Kuzma averaged 16.1 points per game on 45% shooting from the field, including 36.6% shooting from behind the arc, earning him a first-team spot. rookies. His shooting percentages fell back in his sophomore season, but he averaged 2.6 more points per game and seemed a natural fit alongside LeBron James.
This season, Kuzma averaged his career lows in both points per game (12.8) and shooting percentage from the field (43.6%), but the Lakers are a better team than the previous two seasons, by far. After finishing the regular season with the best record in the Western Conference, the Lakers were 12-3 in the first three rounds of the NBA playoffs, and are currently up 2-0 in their Finals series with Miami. Heat.
Suffice to say, Kuzma’s first playoff streak has been successful and he has enjoyed every second.
“It’s been a lot of fun, especially for me,” Kuzma said on Friday. “I’m just trying to live in the moment. I’m trying to play possession for possession and come in with energy. Make stops. Guard guys. It only helps my teammates. That’s all I can really ask for. I’m competing and it’s been fun. Playing in the NBA Finals is a dream for me. I love.”
But what if Kuzma was traded last summer? How different would things have been for him?
“He could have been at home enjoying himself right now,” Kuzma said jokingly on Tuesday. “That is the most important thing for us, to be here obviously. Like you said, big changes, for AD to come here and decide to put me in the mix to try to win a championship and be part of a championship team, you know, I’m very grateful for that. “
Kuzma hasn’t found a way to make an impact lately, but his versatility on the defensive end was valuable to the Lakers against the Portland Trail Blazers, and on streaks against the Houston Rockets. If he manages to have a “classic Kuzma” game in the Finals, the Lakers will be on their way to lucky No. 17 in no time.
For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast at iTunes, Spotify, Stapler or Google Podcasts. You can follow this author on Twitter at @RadRivas.
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