Los Angeles Lakers: 3 Reasons to trade Kyle Kuzma this offseason

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– Drop in production

When the Lakers selected Kuzma in the latter part of the first round in the 2017 NBA Draft, it looked like they had gotten a steal. Kuzma came into the NBA very polished on the offensive end of the court, as he was a hybrid forward that could score from both the inside and the outside.

In his rookie season, Kuzma averaged 16.1 points on 45 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from beyond the arc. It was a fantastic rookie season for Kuzma, as he looked like he had the potential to be a special player for the Lakers.

Kuzma followed up his strong rookie season with a very good sophomore campaign as well. In his second season, Kuzma averaged 18.1 points per game, as he looked like he would be poised for a big third season.

Unfortunately for Kuzma, he suffered a lower leg injury with Team USA over the summer, and that carried into the start of the 2019-20 season. The injury to Kuzma certainly did not help him succeed this season, but it is hard to say that it was the only reason why he has struggled. With the Lakers this season, Kuzma is averaging just 12.5 points per game and his percentages from the field and three-point range are at career-lows.

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