Star Bradley Beal was almost certain of season reimbursement due to injury, spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans were exchanged for Kristaps Porzingis in the final minutes of the deadline, and substitute center Monterez Harrell was also sent to Charlotte Hornets. This makes the Washington Wizards' current roster quite untidy, but even in this case, they still narrowed the Brooklyn Nets, not only allowing the other side to continue the embarrassing losing streak, but also narrowing the gap between them and the team in front of them.
With multiple home players unable to play, Kyle Kuzma, who has been doing well this season, has once again stepped forward. He efficiently cut a triple-double of 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, and now Kyle Kuzma is very comprehensive, providing strong support at both ends of the offensive and defensive ends, remembering that in the offseason, the Lakers got Russell Westbrook, but "just" sent Out Kentavis Caldwell Pope, Monterrez Harrell plus the very unpopular Kyle Kuzma, Lakers fans shouted dawn. But now it seems that the Wizards management and their fans are really grateful to the Lakers, especially after Kyle Kuzma switched to the Wizards this season, which is the real thigh of the team.
In 2017, the Lakers were forced to send away rising two-game guard Angelo Russell in order to clean up Mozgov's bad contract, in exchange for former All-Star center Brooke Lopez and a first-round draft pick, and eventually picked out Kyle Kuzma. From the beginning of his career, Kyle Kuzma's performance was eye-catching, averaging 16.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in his rookie season, and he seemed to have a very rich means of scoring, and kyle Kuzma was successfully selected to the best rookie team at the end of the season.
After LeBron James announced the signing, the Lakers once again became the league's top traffic team, and the 18-19 season, despite the impact of injuries and off-court events, led to the Lakers collapsing in the second half, and finally missed the playoffs in advance again. But Kyle Kuzma performed well, averaging 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, second only to LeBron James in the team, the Lakers' second-largest scorer, and Kyle Kuzma was also regarded as one of the key players in the revival of the Purple and Gold Army.
After a long wait and stalemate, the Lakers exchanged Anthony Davis from the Pelicans in the summer of 2019, for which they did not hesitate to send away Ronzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and multiple first-round draft picks, and Kyle Kuzma also became the only player left in the Lakers' four young miles. At that time, Kyle Kuzma was also a blessing for the Lakers, he represented the team in the draft draw ceremony, and fortunately let the Lakers get a number four pick, and this draft pick was also added to the pursuit of Anthony Davis. Originally, the outside world had high hopes for Kyle Kuzma, who was expected to become the three leaders of the Lakers and provide strong support to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. As a result, Kyle Kuzma's performance did not rise but fell, the data and efficiency have dropped significantly compared to the past, and by the time it comes to the playoffs, the position has simply become marginal. So although the Lakers finally won the championship that season, a large number of fans were willing to hope that the Lakers would not give Kyle Kuzma a championship ring, and he would not mention how embarrassed he was.
Even so, lakers management trusted Kyle Kuzma at the time, and in the summer of 2020, the two sides reached an early contract extension agreement, and Kyle Kuzma received a new contract worth $40 million for three years. However, in the Lakers' system, Kyle Kuzma did play very uncomfortable, and his data and performance last season did not improve much, so it is widely predicted that the Lakers and Kyle Kuzma will part ways.
Sure enough, in the offseason as part of the chips, Kyle Kuzma joined the Wizards, but I am afraid that everyone did not expect that the Lakers would usher in the peak of his career. Before the deadline, the Wizards management made it clear that only Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma were not for sale, which shows how much he is valued. You must know that Kuzma has also been really competitive this season, he averaged 16.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per game, and has repeatedly turned the tide in life and death moments, hitting key balls and even killing.
Kuzma's biggest change this season should be that he has not only scored, but has also transformed into a defensive toughster. Away from the hustle and bustle and stress of the Los Angeles metropolis, Kuzma proved himself in the Wizards. Don't forget that he is only 26 years old at the moment, theoretically not really at his peak, and this season has been selected as an All-Star for the first time in a player's career, they have also been overlooked and looked down upon, and Kuzma's experience is very similar to theirs. In the Wizards' system, teammates and coaches believe in him, and if Kuzma continues to grow, the Wizards' record can also improve, and one day he will compete for an All-Star spot, which is probably not a fantasy.