Danny Green discusses how Kyle Kuzma has been taking a “leadership role” with the new roster

There are two obvious people that are guaranteed to start for the Los Angeles Lakers once October rolls around, and those two people are LeBron James and Anthony Davis. There is actually one other player who is expected to start next season (via Chris Haynes/Yahoo! Sports) and that is newcomer Danny Green. It makes sense, as Green was the first free agent signing the Lakers made after Kawhi Leonard went to the Los Angeles Clippers, and is also being paid the third-most on the team behind LeBron and Davis after signing his two-year, $30 million deal.

Danny Green teased his free agency as much as any other player in the league with his social media platform/podcast, “Inside the Green Room”. In the podcast’s first episode since Green’s decision to join the Los Angeles Lakers, the two-time champion talked about Kawhi Leonard, his other suitors, and his new job as a Los Angeles Laker, among many things.

In regards to the Lakers, his co-host Harrison Sanford asked if he had come across any of his new teammates or if any of them had reached out. He specifically mentioned Kyle Kuzma in his response, saying this:

“Kuz has been taking actually kind of a leadership role for a young guy and putting us together. He put a little group chat together, make sure everybody knows whose numbers is who. Reaching out letting everybody know where were gonna be at in the summer. Bron letting us know when this is happening, when that’s happening. But you know Bron was really good with the process, man, and keeping me patient for the most part. And Kuz, just talking to them here and there, you know, “we’re talking to “so and so” trying to make this happen, we’re just waiting on your boy to see what he has to say or do””.

Sure, Green is only saying Kuzma has taken a “leadership role” in relation to him starting a group chat between his new co-workers, but that’s still significant in and of itself. With leaders such as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Rajon Rondo around, it has to be flattering to Kuzma for Green to speak of him specifically as being a leader so early on in this process.

Green also discusses how LeBron kept him patient as Green awaited his “boy’s” decision. If you’re not following, Green’s “boy” is, of course, Kawhi Leonard. The two had similar suitors in their free agency, with it being hard for a team to fit both of them under their respective salary caps. Because of that, Green waited until Leonard decided and immediately ended up in L.A. as well, but with the Lakers.