Injuries and trade rumors proved to be their eventual downfall. There weren't a lot of bright spots for the Lakers last year, as Los Angeles missed the playoffs despite adding LeBron James. Kuzma will have a difficult time picking up his production this season, and the new addition of Dennis Schroder - a quality offensive player - will likely complicate matters even further for Kuzma. Over the course of the season, Kuzma's shooting wasn't much different than his first two years, but other than rebounds, his per-36 averages were down across the board as well. He started only nine games, but in those contests, Kuzma averaged 32.4 minutes and better than 20 points, proving that he could still be a meaningful contributor when given the chance. With Davis in the lineup, Kuzma lost his starting gig and came off the bench for most of the season. Kuzma's step backward wasn't surprising, as it coincided with Anthony Davis' arrival. He averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 boards, 1.4 threes and 1.3 assists across 25.0 minutes per contest - the lowest marks of his career on all fronts. If Kuzma ends up in the Wizards starting lineup, it's possible his assist numbers see an increase since he'll be passing the ball to one of the league's best all-around scorers in Beal.Īfter two promising seasons with the Lakers to start his career, Kuzma saw declines across most statistical categories in 2019-20. Kuzma should see more production this season, as he'll likely be on the court more and will be able to take more shots. The forward will likely compete for minutes with Davis Bertans, Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija, which is much more favorable than his situation with the Lakers. Kuzma finished last season with 25 games scoring at least 15 points, which is the scoring consistency the Wizards will expect from the ex-Laker. This upcoming season, Kuzma should see a much larger role on a Wizards team that lacks consistent scoring options behind Bradley Beal and the newly-acquired Spencer Dinwiddie. Kuzma hit 44.3 percent of his shots from the field and 36.1 percent from beyond the three-point arc. As for Kuzma's 2020-21 campaign, the 26-year-old averaged 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.6 blocks. Kuzma was selected with the 27th overall pick by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2017 NBA Draft, but he was traded to the Lakers on draft night.Ĭoming off a down year during the 2019-20 season, Kuzma bounced back as he filled in for LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who both missed time with injuries. He was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and applied for the 2018 NBA Draft following the season. Kuzma had a career-high 26 points along with 12 rebounds in a win at Arizona State. He led Utah with 16.4 points and 9.3 rebounds. The Flint, Michigan, native became the go-to scorer for coach Larry Krystkowiak in his third and final season with the team. The Utes advanced to the NCAA Tournament, and the forward had 15 points in a second-round loss to Gonzaga. Kuzma moved into the starting lineup as a sophomore and opened the season with 23 points and 12 rebounds, the first of four double-doubles. In his freshman season, the 6-foot-9 forward played sparingly off the bench but showed scoring potential in early-season wins over UC Riverside and Texas-Rio Grande Valley with a combined 33 points. He signed late and redshirted during the 2013-14 season. Learn more about Kuzma by following him on Twitter at and on Instagram at It took Kuzma a couple of seasons to establish himself at the University of Utah. Kuzma frequently works with YMCAs in both Flint and in Los Angeles, and he donated more than 300 backpacks and school supplies to Flint students in need in 2019. After high school, Kuzma went to the University of Utah, where he earned a degree in sociology. In his senior season, he attended Rise Academy in Philadelphia and averaged 22 points and seven rebounds per contest. Kuzma attended Bentley High School in Michigan, averaging 17.9 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.4 blocks per game as a junior. He regards Larry Smith, who is the father of Kyle's younger brother and sister - Andre and Briana - as a father figure. Kyle Alexander Kuzma was born on Jin Flint, Michigan, to Karri Kuzma.
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