After spending the first four years of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, forward Kyle Kuzma is heading to the capital to play for the Washington Wizards in the 2021-22 season. But it turns out that this wasn’t part of Kuzma’s plans early in the preseason as he was preparing for a stay in California.

Speaking on the No Chill With Gilbert Arenas podcast, Kuzma revealed that he was convinced the Lakers would trade him to the Sacramento Kings. The deal involved Buddy Hield heading in the opposite direction, and according to Kuzma, it was as good as done.

“I was kind of shocked, because I thought I was going to Sac,” said Kuzma. “Like the Sacramento deal with Buddy Hield, that was done. So I’m thinking in my head, like, ‘OK, Sac, 45-minute flight. That’s not bad. I can go to Napa.'”

The Lakers decided to pull the plug on the Kings agreement at the last moment and instead opted to include Kuzma in a trade that landed them All-Star guard Russell Westbrook from the Wizards. But it wasn’t like Kuzma was complaining.

“But then, out of nowhere, you’re going to Washington. I was super hyped because it’s a better situation,” he added. He then explained that he’s excited he’ll get to play with an All-NBA player like Bradley Beal.

Kyle Kuzma had a strong start of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, going from a late first-round pick out of Utah to one of the team’s key weapons on the offense in his rookie and sophomore year. But following the arrival of LeBron James and later Anthony Davis, Kuzma failed to carve a role for himself on the Lakers. His numbers started to drop to the point that he lost his starting place on the team and became dispensable.

Kuzma will now hope to resurrect his career with the Wizards, where he is expected to have a more expanded role and less competition.

The post Kyle Kuzma Was Convinced He’d Play for Kings Before Wizards Trade appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers were linked in trade talks earlier this month, with the presumption that the talks centered on Serbian shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. However, it turns out that this is just half of the story. The reports now surfaced that Kings wanted to get Kyle Kuzma from the Lakers with the intention to send Nemanja Bjelica in the opposite direction.

In a recent piece, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Conner wrote that the Kings offered Bjelica alongside a draft pick for Kuzma, but ended up getting a counter offer. The Lakers were reportedly willing to part with Kuzma, but only if that meant Bogdanovic was part of the trade. Sacramento was unwilling to make such a deal, and trade talks broke down.

It’s easy to see why the Lakers passed on Bjelica. While the 31-year-old is a solid role player, averaging 12.2 points and 6.5 rebounds off the bench this season, he isn’t a difference-maker and someone who can get the team closer to a championship.

Bogdanovic, on the other hand, is a 3-and-D guy who is a natural shooter and has the potential to excel as a sixth man on a championship team. The 27-year-old is averaging career-high 14.6 points per game while hitting .375 of his three-point shots.

Although Kuzma remains a Laker so far, he obviously isn’t considered untradeable as he once was. The young forward is having a down year this season, but he might still have enough value to land Lakers a proven veteran that would help them in the postseason.

The post Kings Reportedly Offered Lakers Nemanja Bjelica For Kyle Kuzma appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Lakers failed to pair LeBron James and Anthony Davis with a third superstar this summer, with Kawhi Leonard rejecting their offer and signing with the LA Clippers. But, Kyle Kuzma doesn’t think the Lakers need to pursue additional stars as they already got one on their roster.

In a recent chat with ESPN, Kuzma said that he thinks he is ready to take the big leap and become the third superstar the Lakers have been searching for. 

“I don’t feel no pressure, but I believe that I am capable of being that superstar,” – said Kuzma. “I put a lot of work in. My progress through my journey shows that I can be there. I developed every single year, dating back to college, and I don’t see that development stunting at all.”

Kuzma averaged 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season but failed to consistently shoot the ball well. The 24-year-old thinks that will change this season as his playing style suits perfectly with James and Davis.

“I’ve never been a ball-dominant guy,” – he added. “I’ve always played off the ball. It is going to be a little bit easier, going to have a lot of open shots. It is my job to trust my summer workouts and what I’ve done. Just breathe, focus and knock those shots down, because I’m going to be open.”

Los Angeles Lakers will be happy to see Kyle Kuzma’s confidence, as they need him to step up and play a more prominent role this season. Kuzma showed flashes of talent in the past two seasons but remained inconsistent when it mattered the most. With Lakers poised for a deep playoff run, he will have to make the final step and at least play on perennial All-Star level in order for the team to be successful.

The post Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma: “I am Capable of Being that Superstar” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It seems like the Los Angeles Lakers can’t catch a break in the past several weeks. They are not just in real danger of missing the playoffs after three straight losses but have now also lost one of their key players. The team announced that forward Kyle Kuzma, who is currently the Lakers’ second-leading scorer with 18.8 points per game, is out with an ankle sprain and could miss one week.

Kuzma sprained his ankle during Monday’s 113-105 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers when he took a drive to the basket and rolled his ankle before limping off the floor.

Lakers have already been struggling with injuries even before Kuzma got hurt, as they are without their starting point guard Lonzo Ball since mid-January. Brandon Ingram, Tyson Chandler, and Lance Stephenson are also nursing minor injuries and might not play this week.

Kyle Kuzma proved crucial for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, taking over the scoring load when the team’s leading star LeBron James was out with an injury. Kuzma, who was a late second round pick in 2017, played 60 games this season and is currently averaging career highs in points (18.8), field goal percentage (46.5 percent),) and assists (2.5) while also getting 5.6 boards per game.

The post Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma Out For a Week with an Ankle Sprain appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma will undergo an MRI on Thursday to determine the extent of his lower back injury after he was helped off the game versus Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night. The Lakers lost 100-107.

Coach Luke Walton described Kuzma’s injury as a hit and said Kuzma felt fine after the game.

“He got hit somewhere in the game, something happened during the game,” Walton said. “You could notice he was starting to limp in those last couple minutes he was playing. He said he was fine. They worked on it at halftime; just said, ‘No go.”

Kuzma is the second-highest scorer in the Lakers with an average of 18.3 points. On Wednesday, the youngster was limited to 4 points on 1-for-4 when it came to shooting. He had 1 rebound, 1 assist and 3 steals in the 16 minutes he was on the field.

Kuzma’s injury put a dent to the Lakers’ efforts to get into the playoffs as he joins a long list of stars who are out I the team. Lebron James is still sidelined with a groin injury while Rajon Rondo is out with a hand surgery. Michael Beasley did not play for personal reasons while Javale McGee is battling pneumonia.

Not so long ago, the Lakers were fourth placed. With the stars out, they are eighth in the Western Conference and have a 21-17 record.

The post Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma to Have MRI on Lower Back after Injury vs. the Thunder appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Just when it looked like that a young Los Angeles Lakers team might not be so bad, eighth straight loss placed them on the last spot of the Western Conference with 11-26 record. The most painful defeat came on Wednesday night, while playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After a tied first quarter, the Lakers were crushed in the following three and suffered a 133-96 defeat. To make things even worse, the Thunder played majority of the second half with bench players. In words of Lakers’ promising rookie Kyle Kuzma, the team just “gave up”.

“We gave up,” – Kuzma said to ESPN after the game. “You could see, they got basket after basket, we had no resistance on them on the defensive end and offensive end. When things got tough, we tried to do it individually, and you can’t do that in this league. They took a little lead, and we just went to being selfish on the floor. We didn’t compete on defense. They killed us. … To lose by [nearly] 40, it is pretty embarrassing to be out there.“

Lakers’ coach Luke Walton added that both the fans and the organization “deserve better than that.“

It is important to note that the Lakers were without rookie point guard Lonzo Ball during this losing streak. Although Ball still didn’t provide enough to prove he is the future of the Lakers, he continues to progress and improve in his first NBA season.

Kuzma, the 27th overall pick in last year’s draft, on the other side, is fully embracing the chance he received from Walton. Clinching a starting position earlier in the season, he is currently averaging 17.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and plays well above the preseason expectations.

The Los Angeles Lakers will have a chance to snap their losing streak on Friday when they face the Charlotte Hornets.

The post Kyle Kuzma Says LA Lakers “Gave Up” in their Loss Against the Oklahoma City Thunder appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After spending the first four years of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, forward Kyle Kuzma is heading to the capital to play for the Washington Wizards in the 2021-22 season. But it turns out that this wasn’t part of Kuzma’s plans early in the preseason as he was preparing for a stay in California.

Speaking on the No Chill With Gilbert Arenas podcast, Kuzma revealed that he was convinced the Lakers would trade him to the Sacramento Kings. The deal involved Buddy Hield heading in the opposite direction, and according to Kuzma, it was as good as done.

“I was kind of shocked, because I thought I was going to Sac,” said Kuzma. “Like the Sacramento deal with Buddy Hield, that was done. So I’m thinking in my head, like, ‘OK, Sac, 45-minute flight. That’s not bad. I can go to Napa.'”

The Lakers decided to pull the plug on the Kings agreement at the last moment and instead opted to include Kuzma in a trade that landed them All-Star guard Russell Westbrook from the Wizards. But it wasn’t like Kuzma was complaining.

“But then, out of nowhere, you’re going to Washington. I was super hyped because it’s a better situation,” he added. He then explained that he’s excited he’ll get to play with an All-NBA player like Bradley Beal.

Kyle Kuzma had a strong start of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, going from a late first-round pick out of Utah to one of the team’s key weapons on the offense in his rookie and sophomore year. But following the arrival of LeBron James and later Anthony Davis, Kuzma failed to carve a role for himself on the Lakers. His numbers started to drop to the point that he lost his starting place on the team and became dispensable.

Kuzma will now hope to resurrect his career with the Wizards, where he is expected to have a more expanded role and less competition.

The post Kyle Kuzma Was Convinced He’d Play for Kings Before Wizards Trade appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers were linked in trade talks earlier this month, with the presumption that the talks centered on Serbian shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. However, it turns out that this is just half of the story. The reports now surfaced that Kings wanted to get Kyle Kuzma from the Lakers with the intention to send Nemanja Bjelica in the opposite direction.

In a recent piece, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Conner wrote that the Kings offered Bjelica alongside a draft pick for Kuzma, but ended up getting a counter offer. The Lakers were reportedly willing to part with Kuzma, but only if that meant Bogdanovic was part of the trade. Sacramento was unwilling to make such a deal, and trade talks broke down.

It’s easy to see why the Lakers passed on Bjelica. While the 31-year-old is a solid role player, averaging 12.2 points and 6.5 rebounds off the bench this season, he isn’t a difference-maker and someone who can get the team closer to a championship.

Bogdanovic, on the other hand, is a 3-and-D guy who is a natural shooter and has the potential to excel as a sixth man on a championship team. The 27-year-old is averaging career-high 14.6 points per game while hitting .375 of his three-point shots.

Although Kuzma remains a Laker so far, he obviously isn’t considered untradeable as he once was. The young forward is having a down year this season, but he might still have enough value to land Lakers a proven veteran that would help them in the postseason.

The post Kings Reportedly Offered Lakers Nemanja Bjelica For Kyle Kuzma appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Lakers failed to pair LeBron James and Anthony Davis with a third superstar this summer, with Kawhi Leonard rejecting their offer and signing with the LA Clippers. But, Kyle Kuzma doesn’t think the Lakers need to pursue additional stars as they already got one on their roster.

In a recent chat with ESPN, Kuzma said that he thinks he is ready to take the big leap and become the third superstar the Lakers have been searching for. 

“I don’t feel no pressure, but I believe that I am capable of being that superstar,” – said Kuzma. “I put a lot of work in. My progress through my journey shows that I can be there. I developed every single year, dating back to college, and I don’t see that development stunting at all.”

Kuzma averaged 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season but failed to consistently shoot the ball well. The 24-year-old thinks that will change this season as his playing style suits perfectly with James and Davis.

“I’ve never been a ball-dominant guy,” – he added. “I’ve always played off the ball. It is going to be a little bit easier, going to have a lot of open shots. It is my job to trust my summer workouts and what I’ve done. Just breathe, focus and knock those shots down, because I’m going to be open.”

Los Angeles Lakers will be happy to see Kyle Kuzma’s confidence, as they need him to step up and play a more prominent role this season. Kuzma showed flashes of talent in the past two seasons but remained inconsistent when it mattered the most. With Lakers poised for a deep playoff run, he will have to make the final step and at least play on perennial All-Star level in order for the team to be successful.

The post Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma: “I am Capable of Being that Superstar” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It seems like the Los Angeles Lakers can’t catch a break in the past several weeks. They are not just in real danger of missing the playoffs after three straight losses but have now also lost one of their key players. The team announced that forward Kyle Kuzma, who is currently the Lakers’ second-leading scorer with 18.8 points per game, is out with an ankle sprain and could miss one week.

Kuzma sprained his ankle during Monday’s 113-105 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers when he took a drive to the basket and rolled his ankle before limping off the floor.

Lakers have already been struggling with injuries even before Kuzma got hurt, as they are without their starting point guard Lonzo Ball since mid-January. Brandon Ingram, Tyson Chandler, and Lance Stephenson are also nursing minor injuries and might not play this week.

Kyle Kuzma proved crucial for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, taking over the scoring load when the team’s leading star LeBron James was out with an injury. Kuzma, who was a late second round pick in 2017, played 60 games this season and is currently averaging career highs in points (18.8), field goal percentage (46.5 percent),) and assists (2.5) while also getting 5.6 boards per game.

The post Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma Out For a Week with an Ankle Sprain appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma will undergo an MRI on Thursday to determine the extent of his lower back injury after he was helped off the game versus Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night. The Lakers lost 100-107.

Coach Luke Walton described Kuzma’s injury as a hit and said Kuzma felt fine after the game.

“He got hit somewhere in the game, something happened during the game,” Walton said. “You could notice he was starting to limp in those last couple minutes he was playing. He said he was fine. They worked on it at halftime; just said, ‘No go.”

Kuzma is the second-highest scorer in the Lakers with an average of 18.3 points. On Wednesday, the youngster was limited to 4 points on 1-for-4 when it came to shooting. He had 1 rebound, 1 assist and 3 steals in the 16 minutes he was on the field.

Kuzma’s injury put a dent to the Lakers’ efforts to get into the playoffs as he joins a long list of stars who are out I the team. Lebron James is still sidelined with a groin injury while Rajon Rondo is out with a hand surgery. Michael Beasley did not play for personal reasons while Javale McGee is battling pneumonia.

Not so long ago, the Lakers were fourth placed. With the stars out, they are eighth in the Western Conference and have a 21-17 record.

The post Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma to Have MRI on Lower Back after Injury vs. the Thunder appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Just when it looked like that a young Los Angeles Lakers team might not be so bad, eighth straight loss placed them on the last spot of the Western Conference with 11-26 record. The most painful defeat came on Wednesday night, while playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After a tied first quarter, the Lakers were crushed in the following three and suffered a 133-96 defeat. To make things even worse, the Thunder played majority of the second half with bench players. In words of Lakers’ promising rookie Kyle Kuzma, the team just “gave up”.

“We gave up,” – Kuzma said to ESPN after the game. “You could see, they got basket after basket, we had no resistance on them on the defensive end and offensive end. When things got tough, we tried to do it individually, and you can’t do that in this league. They took a little lead, and we just went to being selfish on the floor. We didn’t compete on defense. They killed us. … To lose by [nearly] 40, it is pretty embarrassing to be out there.“

Lakers’ coach Luke Walton added that both the fans and the organization “deserve better than that.“

It is important to note that the Lakers were without rookie point guard Lonzo Ball during this losing streak. Although Ball still didn’t provide enough to prove he is the future of the Lakers, he continues to progress and improve in his first NBA season.

Kuzma, the 27th overall pick in last year’s draft, on the other side, is fully embracing the chance he received from Walton. Clinching a starting position earlier in the season, he is currently averaging 17.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and plays well above the preseason expectations.

The Los Angeles Lakers will have a chance to snap their losing streak on Friday when they face the Charlotte Hornets.

The post Kyle Kuzma Says LA Lakers “Gave Up” in their Loss Against the Oklahoma City Thunder appeared first on SportzBonanza.