Coming off their latest Championship victory, the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to strengthen their roster this offseason for another run at the title in 2021.
With 10 of their players slated to become free agents, they will have a lot to consider in the weeks to come.
For Kyle Kuzma, he is expecting LA to offer him a huge rookie-scale extension pretty soon, that will keep him in town for at least a few more years.
“Then you got Kyle Kuzma, who is extension eligible, still has a year left on his contract but is extension eligible. And from what I understand, he is expecting a sizable deal, hoping for a sizable deal,” Windhorst said on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast.
New podcast. There’s about to be a bunch of NBA transactions and some of the biggest could be tied to players’ decisions on contract extensions. (w/@espn_macmahon & @BobbyMarks42) https://t.co/R9zY9TFTuZ
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) November 7, 2020
Kuzma is the last remaining member of the infamous LA young core. Since being drafted in 2017, he has been a source of optimism for the franchise, especially regarding the post-LeBron era.
Unfortunately, some feel he has yet to live up to his call as the Lakers’ third-best player. Last season, he averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game on 43.6% shooting. He had trouble staying consistent throughout the season, and his efforts on the defensive end have often been described as underwhelming.
Long story short, nobody knows for sure what the Lakers plan on doing with their young star. Will he stay long term, or will he have to go elsewhere for the contract he seeks?
If the two sides fail to reach an agreement on an extension, Kuzma will become a free agent in the summer of 2021.
