Wizards power forward Kyle Kuzma recently discussed his new role as Washington’s leading scorer (for now), per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.
“Never did it (with the Lakers),” Kuzma said of serving as a primary offensive option. “Obviously, we had great players so that wasn’t my calling. But I have that ability. I can get a rebound and push, I can orchestrate things. I have a high enough IQ to understand who needs the ball in situations and what we kind of need.”
Through his first three games this year, Kuzma is averaging a career-high 19.7 PPG, on .465/.400/.688 shooting splits. He is also pulling down 7.0 RPG, 2.3 APG and 1.3 BPG.
There’s more out of D.C.:
- Newly-anointed Wizards starting small forward Deni Avdija is reveling in his fresh opportunity among the club’s first five, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “It just shows coach and the organization trust in me,” Avidja said. “They chose that they believe in me and they think that I deserve to be a starter and create and get some of the pressure off the other guys in the starting five. I feel like I’m kind of the glue guy in the starting five,” Avdija said. “I’m trying to make the right play. I’m playing defense, I’m rebounding. I’m trying to do everything I can to help the team and get pressure off from a couple of players that you could say are ball dominant more.”
- Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. anticipates Washington will continually honor the best defensive player of each individual game throughout the regular season, per Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Unseld and his assistant coaches are hoping that incentivizing solid defense in this manner will help improve the club’s overall performance on that end of the hardwood. “I think a lot of times players in any sport are kind of assigned accolades with your offensive performances,” Unseld said. “In football, certain colleges do it. We just thought of it as a gimmick in nature but (also) something our guys can kind of buy into. They can lean into it, because it’s a real belt.”
- The 2022/23 Wizards are getting along swimmingly, which was not the case last season, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. “I mean, we’re all just playing the right way,” Kuzma said of the team’s improved chemistry this year. “We have a veteran team, we have a team where we all like each other, and I mean that’s the biggest thing. We can tell we all like each other.” Center Daniel Gafford feels similarly. “The key point is the relationships and stuff are wanted more,” Gafford said. “Everybody’s not seeking individual goals; it’s a full-out team goal. We all want to win. We all want to play in the postseason, and that takes being together and playing as a unit. Being there for each other and taking constructive criticism. If somebody gets on your tail, you take that and use it to be able to progress in the game.”
Idk when people are going to learn, but just because you’re a great player that doesn’t make you a great GM. LeBron dried up all of his former team’s assets in order to win his titles in a few years, except then he was actually good enough to make up the difference of just acquiring his friends. (Or his friends were better and younger idk lol..)
I guess, at least this time he didn’t skip town after forcing his team to use up all their resources…lol
I love LeBron the player, but the way he’s used his power to leverage teams, and threatened to leave those teams unless they did what he wanted has always left a sour taste in my mouth..
Then again, the GMs and owners were the ones dumb enough to do it, so there’s that as well…
Some people will say, well he won them titles, soooo…Yeah, but with his talent there were plenty of ways to win without mortgaging those team’s future assets SOLELY to acquire specific players he wanted targeted…
I’m not even a Lakers fan, but trading away Kuzma, just because LeBron wanted another “all-star” in Westbrook was short-sighted and ignorant…Still has me salty..lol
It was a terrible, terrible trade for the Lakers. I feel like a lot of people lay the blame for that on LeBron, and maybe some of that’s fair. Pelinka is still the GM, though. He made the deal. LBJ likely had input on if he felt Russ would fit but he didn’t call the Wizards and negotiate the package. And in the end, if you’re a GM, you need to decide what’s best for your team.
The Lakers could’ve been a better team this season if they had shipped Russ to Indiana for Turner and Hield, but they wouldn’t make the deal- and LeBron didn’t make that decision. LeBron didn’t construct a team that has almost no shooting. At some point Pelinka needs to get some of the heat LeBron does.
I think their plan this year is to rip the bandaid off. Tank the year, get a high draft pick and open up salary room when Russ is gone and sign another star in FA.
Tanking does them no good because NoLa has swap rights on their 2023 pick
It was a desperate move to try and get another championship before the rest of the league got healthier. A healthy LAC and GSW. And the potential juggernauts of Milk and Brooklyn. Also what other deals were on the table? If you look at KCP so he netted Barton and Morris, doesn’t move the needle much for LAL. And Kuzma wasn’t a catch and shoot guy that they needed. Still isn’t, that 40% from 3 will drop to career averages.
Advjia is playing 15 minutes a game as a starter. Last year he played 24 minutes a game. So, no it doesn’t show the organization “believes in you”