Versatile Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma is enjoying his new opportunity as Washington’s highest-usage player following a trade from the only NBA team he had ever known, the Lakers, during the 2021 offseason, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Kuzma won a title as a key rotation player for Los Angeles in 2020.
“I’ve referred to him on a number of occasions as our Swiss Army knife,” Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “Whatever we need in that moment, he’s capable of doing.”
The 6’9″ Kuzma is averaging 17.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG and 3.4 APG in 60 games for Washington, with shooting splits of .456/.342/.725.
“It’s been a great change of pace for me, a change of scenery,” the 26-year-old said of his new club. “I did as much as I (could) to maximize (myself) when I was with my former team, with changing my role every single year for the betterment of the team and trying to fit in with great players.
“But here, it’s been a lot different, because I don’t necessarily have to do that. My role has changed here. If you think about the first 25 games, I was in a different type of role than I am now: more scoring and just doing more things with the ball. It’s just great to be in a situation where I can just be myself and do what I do, and not dummy myself down.”
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- Heat reserve guard Victor Oladipo returned to the court with Miami for the first time this season on Monday. He logged 11 points while shooting 4-for-7 from the floor in a 123-106 win over Oladipo’s former team, the Rockets. Oladipo called his return from a right knee quadriceps tendon surgery “everything I wanted and more,” per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. A former two-time All-Star and 2o18 All-Defensive First Team honoree for the Pacers, Oladipo returned with a 15-minute cap. He has appeared in just 53 contests since the beginning of the 2019/20 NBA season due to a variety of injuries. When asked about when the guard would exceed his current strict on-court time limit, head coach Erik Spoelstra was quick to establish that the club is taking a longer-term approach. “I’m going to temper those expectations,” Spoelstra said. “He’s been out a year. Three years of injuries. Fifteen minutes, that feel amazing to him and to everybody in the locker room. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves on anything else.”
- Now that Oladipo is back as a contributor on the hardwood for the Heat, Spoelstra looks forward to having to make some roster adjustments with his perimeter players, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Miami guards Max Strus and Gabe Vincent rode the bench, until the game was well out of reach in the fourth, to accommodate Oladipo’s return. “Big shout out to Max and Gabe, who have been playing really well,” Oladipo said after the contest. “For them to sacrifice their minutes tonight, I know that’s not easy.” Spoelstra acknowledged the roster crunch but appeared to dismiss it as being an issue for team chemistry. “That’s for amateurs,” Spoelstra said. “Guys understand the opportunity with this group. It’s not all going to be perfect. Everybody is not always going to be happy, but we have a really mature group in this locker room… We have a bunch of guys who can fit in and impact the game. Max and Gabe didn’t play much, but they can come in and do the same thing.”
- With rookie Magic guard Jalen Suggs missing Orlando’s last two games due to a right ankle sprain, second-year guard R.J. Hampton has been tasked with bigger-ticket defensive assignments, writes Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel. The 6’4″ guard may still be struggling on offense, as he is averaging 7.3 PPG on 38.4% field goal shooting this season, but he has exhibited plenty of promise on the other side of the floor.
Oladipo looked good. He was moving well and confident. Good sign to me. I agree with coach. They need to go East with him. Let him get stronger playing a limited role. Nice to have another contributor for playoffs. Even if it’s 16-22 mins. He’s got the experience and now the determination to get better. Heat are going to be a tough out. East is going to fun for the playoffs.
I was at the heat knicks game in MSG last week… there had to be 5-6000 Heat fans there… its shocked the hell out of me. What happened to your franchise.
I happened.
Heat are tough & feisty…. Guard rotation 1)starters: lowry, Duncan 2) bench: Herro, Olidiapo 3)Depth: Vincent, Strus… All can shoot the 3…Lowry/ olidiapo/ Vincent all good defenders…great team D… with Butler, Bam, PJ…. If they are efficient with the 3, play lockdown team D, extremely dangerous and tough out… they play d with strong transition game…,with 3 great mix……
Funny to read kuzma talk about it being nice to be able to be himself after the first 25 games but the first 25 games were the ones they were winning. They’ve sucked ever since he says he stopped dummying himself down
I read them as two different things..One part says the first 25 games he was asked to do some more scoring, etc.
I read the “dummying himself down” as a shot fired towards his time in Los Angeles..
I could be wrong, but that was how I read it..
I don’t think what he’s saying has anything to do with LA. He’s saying that for the first 25 games he was in a different role than now. Now meaning more scoring and time with the ball in his hands, thus the headline that he’s now the Wizards highest usage player. Makes sense with Beal out and Dinwiddie gone, he gets the ball more.
‘Dummying himself down’ is just the way a guy like Kuzma, who believes he can be a teams superstar talks. Maybe he can maybe he can’t, who knows but sounds like he’s getting a shot.
Everything he’s getting now is a result of what he accomplished (or didn’t) in LA. He’s smart enough to know that. Why he would hold any ill will toward LA doesn’t make much sense. Just my 2 cents
He did not start much in LA (except for injuries) and did not get respected. I might expect even more venom from Kuzma than “dummy down”…
It is clearer in the Athletic article, which went into steping back for AD and filling in with different assignments, being the “before”.
“there’s people going crazy at me, as you’ve seen this year. I’m very misunderstood.”
Well he can be hard to understand! The “first 25” games thing was not developed there either (But I only read half of it).
Lots of teams getting back & picking up lots of talent! Miami is one I see loaded. Brooklyn with Simmons; assuming. Philly. Milwaukee getting back Lopez. Maybe Clippers get their stars back. So the playoffs will be something. Still there’s only one ball so team play may overcome mucho stars & mucho talent. Go Celtics!
The east is a beast… Tired of watching Laker, Warrior, Clippers games… even Utah/ phoenix is boring… whoever makes it out of the east will be more than battle tested to take the whole thing, barring injuries…