Yes, I know it’s a mouthful, but it just rolls off the tongue. Like saying Mamungkukumpurangkuntjunya Hill three times fast. And yeah I Googled that, and yes, it’s a real place in Australia. (The more you know!) Though I could have just used the Hawaiian state fish which has all the complexity but with a bit more brevity; the Humuhumu nukunuku apua, but you know, I figure why not do both to pad that sweet-sweet word count. What were we talking about again? Ah yes, one Kyle Kuzma and the curious case thereof. And it is quite the curious case, I promise! With what was once a burgeoning talent has now turned into something other than, and now with a new city, a new team, and with that a brand new system, Kuzma will at least have the opportunity to reestablish himself and his talent with the Wizards. So that’s the case, now to see what’s so curious… about Kuzma. (See that actually rolled off the tongue, no sarcasm bro.)
Part of an offseason flurry (not the ice cream, unfortunately) of moves, Kyle Kuzma was traded to the Wizards as part of the deal sending Russell Westbrook to the Lakers. And as I alluded to above (THE ALLUSIONING), after Kuzma’s intriguing NBA debut and subsequent years, he’s now found himself in his own rebuild mode. Just averaging 12.9 points and 6.1 rebounds a game, shooting just 44.3% from the field last season, he also only was able to net a 36.1 shot percentage from deep. This was after averaging 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in his first two years in the league. Suffice to say, he had become a forgotten element on the Lakers and his numbers, along with his expectations began to sink.
But he is still only 26 with plenty of room to go and of course, a fresh start might be able to provide a stimulant to that mindset. After already writing about the Wizards’ overall roster for their team preview, it’ll be interesting to see how and where Kuzma ultimately fits in which subsequently lead to this post.
And that’s the intriguing part, as I mentioned in that same Wizards team preview, this is a roster that literally is chalked to the brim with role players galore. And while I technically wouldn’t label Kuzma a role-player in this context, generally when you find a team full of six men, not everyone is going to be the sixth man, ya know? So playing time and what the rotations look like is certainly a factor. But this is where his age benefits him as all front offices in all sports generally want to give their younger players opportunities to flourish. Now, the execution may not always be exact, but I’d like to think here that the Wizards know they might have something special if given the right conditions.
That being said, preseason, I have to admit, was a bit of a roller coaster for the forward. But, if there’s a time to show more of what you got, there was a bit of relief as we transitioned to the regular season and saw Kuzma starting to bring a bit more to the table, especially in terms of the Wizards loss to the Raptors a little over a week ago where Kuzma recorded 24 points, going 8-12 from the field, 6-8 in three-point land while grabbing seven rebounds with a steal and two assists. This type of performance should be the standard when everything is going right, so a strong end to the preseason was an encouraging sign.
The idea that Bradley Beal can carry a team all by himself is still a bit suspect. I appreciate that he is one of the top players at his position and I think anyone can make the argument that he is a top 30-35 player overall, it remains to be seen if he can carry a team all by himself. Being earnest, I don’t think he can, and that’s not a knock on Beal, but more a dose of reality. While I think the Wizards can make the playoffs, they certainly won’t be a strong seed, and they certainly won’t be doing it on the backs of two or three starts, so for them to fulfill its projection, someone will have to be the other guy. Now, let’s not go full hyperbole here, I’m not talking about a Jordan-Pippen thing, but for the Wizards to do well, players will need to step up and be the “other” guy to Beal. Looking at the roster, there are a few who can do it, but I think Kyle Kuzma is in the best position to take advantage of it.
Now, I’m not entirely sure that he’s good enough to make the Lakers commit early-season seppuku as Kuzma would lead you to believe, but clearly, with the season now starting, it’ll be interesting to see where the Wizards go and if Kuzma is part of it. I think he can be, and frankly, I think he has to be.
By the way, did you know there’s a wonderful little place in Finland called Äteritsiputeritsipuolilautatsijänkä?
Jay is a longtime Razzball everything who consumes an egregious amount of Makers Mark as a vehicle to gain wisdom and augment his natural glow. Living in the D.C. area, he also likes spending time visiting the local parks and feeding lettuce to any turtles he encounters, including Mitch McConnell. You can follow him on Twitter @jaywrong.
