Kyle Kuzma is the homegrown, drafted piece during the Los Angeles Lakers rebuild. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis in tow, the future is set. Kuzma is entering a critical career year with contract questions abound. He has to be thinking about whether or not he is included in that future.
Kyle Kuzma is still on a rookie-scale deal this year. The next off-season will bring about the possibility of a restricted free agency. Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka spoke earlier this off-season about waiting for the “right time” to explore extending Kuz. The fourth-year forward spoke to ESPN’s Dave McMeniman about where both his agent and the Lakers brass are at on talks:
McMenamin reported Thursday that Kuzma said his agent has been in contact with the team but did not have any details to provide.
“We’ll see,” he said.
Kuz is definitely an asset to the Lakers with his size and scoring ability. His 2017 NBA Draft peers have received deals, as Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum both received maximum deals It’s completely understandable he wants a raise as well, although he definitely won’t get the max from anyone. As of now, it seems like the Lakers want to see what he brings to a full table. The franchise reloaded and added plenty of firepower. Now is the time for Kyle Kuzma to prove this doesn’t overlap, and that he can fit in with the team. If not, we could be headed for an impasse in the summer.
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