NBA 2018-19: Is Kyle Kuzma the second best player on the Laker's roster after LeBron?

The Los Angeles Lakers have turned out to be a better team than most people thought. After a panicky 0-3 start to the season, the Lakers now look like the 2nd best team in the West before anyone could realize it.

But can they beat the Golden State Warriors? No. And why is that? Because the Lakers still don't have an All-Star who can play Robin to LeBron's Batman. But for this season, Kyle Kuzma (not Brandon Ingram) looks like he's going to be the second fiddle.

Kyle Kuzma has been averaging 23 Points, 7 Rebounds and 4 Assists in December. Kuzma replaced Ingram who is currently out of the starting line-up due to an injury and has made the most out of this opportunity.

Everyone thought Ingram would be that guy behind LeBron but he just hasn't been able to adapt to that role. The Lakers were hoping that they would be able to turn Ingram into a spot up shooter like Miami did with Chris Bosh and Cleveland with Kevin Love.

Kuz has turned out to be a better fit with LeBron than Ingram and for obvious reasons. To begin with, Kuzma is the kind of guy that would fight for the ball and would drive hard to the rack.

LeBron has always been the pass-first kind of a superstar and all those who have flourished under his leadership have been aggressive players and Kuzma is no different. Secondly, he's a great catch-and-shoot player. When LeBron James drives in he attracts 2 or 3 guys onto him which leaves other guys open on the wings. Kuzma has hit some really clutch 3's from similar situations this season.

We know LeBron James has been saying that he's going to be patient with this young Lakers squad, but historically speaking, LeBron is not going to be patient. He said he would like to see the young guns develop but a few games into the season he made sure that a veteran big like Tyson Chandler joined the Lakers.

Having said that, he wouldn't shy away from asking Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka to trade a couple of players from the young core of Lonzo, Hart, Kuzma, and Ingram for an All-Star. But as of today, Brandom Ingram, who by the way was supposedly the future Pippen to LeBron's Jordan, looks like that player who might get traded.

Should the Lakers start Kuzma over Ingram throughout the season is the question here!