The Los Angeles Lakers changed overnight when LeBron James decided to join the franchise in 2018. Heaps of players have come and gone in the last 4 years with LeBron at the helm as the team perfects building a championship roster around the 37-year-old star.
The team reached their goal in the 2020 Orlando bubble when they lifted the Larry O’Brien trophy to be crowned champions. One of the players who was a part of that glorious run was Kyle Kuzma, a player drafted to the team prior to LeBron’s arrival. However, after the team underperformed in the 2021 Playoffs, the Lakers traded Kuzma and other players from the 2020 championship run to Washington Wizards for Russell Westbrook.
Kuzma has been put into a more clear role in Washington and is enjoying one of the best streaks of form in his career. Kuzma has averaged 22.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in his last 10 games and will be carrying this form into a revenge game against the Lakers in his former home arena.
Kuzma had this to say about the return to LA when he spoke to The Athletic.
It’s been a great change of pace for me, a change of scenery. I did as much as I (could) to maximize (myself) when I was with my former team, with changing my role every single year for the betterment of the team and trying to fit in with great players. But here, it’s been a lot different, because I don’t necessarily have to do that. My role has changed here. If you think about the first 25 games, I was in a different type of role than I am now: more scoring and just doing more things with the ball. It’s just great to be in a situation where I can just be myself and do what I do, and not dummy myself down.”
Kyle Kuzma with a massive block on Buddy Hield
Leads to a Deni Avdija lob to Kristaps Porzingis in transition 😤 pic.twitter.com/gBQgw8jImj
— Hoop District (@Hoop_District) March 7, 2022
The trade for Russell Westbrook with Washington has not worked out as well for the Lakers as they hoped. Westbrook’s inconsistent performances on the court have headlined the Lakers’ issues this year, as this is yet another season where Anthony Davis has struggled to find good health and play consistently.
The Wizards will face the Lakers this Friday (11 March) and players on both sides will have a lot to prove on the floor.
