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Los Angeles Lakers: Each young players’ most-needed improvement

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 05: Head coach Luke Walton talks with Brandon Ingram #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Staples Center on January 5, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 05: Head coach Luke Walton talks with Brandon Ingram #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Staples Center on January 5, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Kyle Kuzma: More efficient rebounding

It is no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers lack size on the roster. After letting Julius Randle walk to the New Orleans Pelicans and letting Brook Lopez sign with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Lakers are left with JaVale McGee and Ivica Zubac to split the majority of minutes.

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Because of that, the Lakers may struggle in coming up with rebounds in key moments down the stretch. While the team does have great rebounding guards and LeBron James to help the cause, the team still lacks that big-bodied presence to clean the class.

And while Kyle Kuzma is not necessarily a big-bodied center that is going to clean the glass, he needs to help the Lakers’ cause in rebounding the basketball by being a better rebounder himself.

Kuzma is not a terrible rebounder but is also not proficient at it, either. That makes sense as the Lakers did not really turn to Kuzma to fill that role last season and his numbers were evidence of that.

Last season, Kuzma has a rebounding rate of 10.7 percent. To compare to his peers, that was good enough for the 189th-best rebounding rate in the NBA last season.

While Kuzma will still have a role in stretching the floor and as a finisher on the fastbreak, he needs to focus on improving his rebounding this summer as the Lakers are going to lean on him more to rebound the basketball.

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If he can make that transition, he could be a dangerous hybrid role similar to Julius Randle last season. If not, the Los Angeles Lakers will struggle even more down low.

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