1. Defensive Potential
Kyle Kuzma has added a new factor to his game that used to be considered his biggest weakness, his defensive ability. Sure, his defensive game is still a work in progress, but you can see drastic improvement in his shot blocking and defensive protection as a whole this season compared to his previous seasons.
Kuzma must have been really working on his defensive game this offseason because he went from being a weakness to the Lakers on defense, to being one of the guys they want to have on the floor when they need a big defensive stop.
He stands at 6-foot-8 and has the shot blocking ability that Anthony Davis does who stands at 6-foot-10. If Kuzma continues this pace, he could be well on his way to a defensive first or second team selection for his efforts.
The sudden emergence of Kuzma’s defensive play makes him extremely valuable to the rest of the league. Aside from the Lakers, I’m not sure of one other team Kuzma wouldn’t start on, which is extremely exciting for the Lakers because the return they could get for him is crazy.
I’m not here to say the Lakers will or won’t trade Kyle Kuzma, but he certainly has all the tangibles that teams are looking for. If the right offer comes in, the Lakers should strongly consider allowing him to depart and thrive for another organization.
