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Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma Hits Back at His Haters in New Puma Advertisement

Published 11/27/2020, 5:25 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The Los Angeles Lakers have been pretty busy this off season. Before the start of the off-season, one particular name always cropped in multiple trade rumors: Kyle Kuzma.

In multiple trading rumors, Kuzma was included as a valuable trading option for the Lakers. The champions have made multiple moves till now, and it looks like Kuzma is going to stay.

It seems like Kyle Kuzma is eager to prove his critics wrong. Earlier today he posted a puma commercial on his twitter as an answer to on his haters. Take a look.

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Although Kuzma got his first ring last season he had a down year by his standards. He also had a disappointing performance in the playoffs, thus the heavy criticism against him. He averaged 12.8 points, 1.3 assists and 4.5 rebounds each game last season.

Why 2020-21 is Make-or-Break season for Kuzma.

Kyle Kuzma was drafted as the 27th pick in the 2017 NBA draft. Kuzma performed exceptionally well in his first two seasons and showed his prowess as an attacking force. In the absence of a star, he was the main scoring option. He was playing more minutes and his progress as a forward was visible.

With LeBron James getting back to fitness and the addition of Anthony Davis, Kuzma was not the go-to guy anymore. His minutes per match played plummeted and so did his production.

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USA Today via Reuters

He suddenly looked like a shadow of himself and was way too inconsistent on the floor. In one game he would add 25 points from the bench and in other games he would only score 11. This has been his Achilles’ heel. This trend continued in the playoffs. He averaged only 10 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 23 minutes played per match.

He now has become a rotational piece in the system. If Kuzma really wants to prove his critics wrong, he should try to make the most of the available minutes. The Lakers are lacking a good shooter in the roster. If Kuzma can improve his 3-point shooting percentages, he can cement himself as the third scoring option in the team.

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Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office might be planning to add a third star in a season or two.  If he steps up, he will be a long-term player with the team, If he does not, he might be traded in the near future.

 

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Written by:

Aditya Mohapatra

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Aditya Mohapatra is a sports enthusiast who primarily covers the NBA for EssentiallySports. Having graduated in Mass Communication, he has prior experience in writing for ABP News, and has been writing for EssentiallySports since November 2020. This die-hard Los Angeles Lakers fan feels that LeBron James is the best thing to have ever happened to the NBA, and will hold a healthy debate with anyone suggesting otherwise.
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