Kyle Kuzma is Not Going to Benefit on New Star-Studded Lakers Roster

After the Los Angeles Lakers parted with nearly everyone on their roster except for Kyle Kuzma in an attempt to pair LeBron James with Anthony Davis, the team now must shift its focus to molding all of its pieces into place.

The Lakers shipped Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and a hoard of picks to the Pelicans, causing critics to wonder why Kuzma was the piece they decided to keep.

Expectations are high for young Kyle Kuzma!#Lakers #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/YzDBiyvSPd
— LakeShow (@LakeShowCP) August 4, 2019

Those are some pretty unreal expectations for Kuzma coming from Klay Thompson, no?

Entering his third NBA season, Kuzma has shown an impressive ability to score the ball. With fewer shots to go around next year, however, Kuzma's best asset may not be able to benefit the team as much as some might have thought.

Kuzma's defense has been lackluster, and his decision-making can be poor at times.

Klay Thompson told me he sees similarities between himself and Kuzma at 24 and becoming an all-star after being on Team USA. “I know him playing for Team USA is going to pay huge dividends for him because that’s what it did for me. … That was the turning point in my career.”
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) August 3, 2019

While the Lakers prepare for a deep playoff run, they'll need floor spacing, strong defense and strong decision-making in order to contend with the Western Conference elite.

The worry is that Kuzma's play style won't mesh well next to two top talents in the NBA, in addition to Danny Green and DeMarcus Cousins. Some major adjustments will definitely need to be made by Kuzma in order for him to maximize his efficiency because he certainly won't be taking 15 shots per game next year.