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It's mainly during the offseason that young players really get to work on their game and improve their production significantly during the next campaign. While there isn't going to be enough of a gap between two seasons this time around, a few players are expected to take a huge leap. As per LeBron James, his LA Lakers teammate Kyle Kuzma is among the names ready to take the league by storm.
LeBron James tips Kyle Kuzma for a leap with LA Lakers
It's fairly common for players to hype up their teammates prior to the beginning of a new campaign. But when the player throwing praise is LeBron James, you know that it's more than just a mere act of appeasement.
The onus is now on Kyle Kuzma to deliver for the LA Lakers during the 2020-21 campaign. LeBron James' comment is not just his belief in Kuzma but also a statement of expectation from the power forward.
It's undeniably a crucial season for Kyle Kuzma. He was the LA Lakers' main scorer off the bench in 2019-20 and would want to continue donning that role in the upcoming campaign.
More importantly, this is the final year of Kyle Kuzma's rookie contract. His performances will determine his future with the Purple and Gold. Considering that both LeBron James and Anthony Davis have committed their future to the franchise, Kuzma would want to do the same.
Kyle Kuzma's recent form with LA Lakers
Interestingly, Kyle Kuzma recorded his lowest scoring average of 12.8 points per game for the LA Lakers during the 2019-20 season. However, this can be directly attributed to the fact that he had to come off the bench instead of starting as was the case during the first two years of his career.
During the games in Orlando, Kuzma showed significant improvement in his defensive tenacity. He also slotted in at the four perfectly alongside LeBron James when AD was playing at center or was taking a breather. Continuing with the same and improving shooting accuracy would allow Kyle Kuzma to have a career-defining season with the LA Lakers in 2020-21.
Also read: 5 teams that can challenge the LA Lakers in the Western Conference
Guess the Lakers players!
