Lakers News: Kyle Kuzma Says He Feels Like 'A Starter in This League'

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma excelled in the starting lineup during Brandon Ingram's suspension, and the second-year player believes he deserves a shot to remain with the first team.

"Of course, everybody wants to be a starter and I feel like I'm a starter in this league, but I can't necessarily control that," Kuzma said Monday, per The Athletic's Bill Oram. "I'm just a player. But we'll see what happens."

While Ingram was out serving his four-game suspension, Kuzma replaced him in the Lakers' starting five. He averaged 22.8 points and scored 37 points in a 143-142 overtime defeat to the San Antonio Spurs.

Ingram returned to the court Monday night in Los Angeles' 124-120 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Before the game, Ingram expressed a similar sentiment to Kuzma.

"I'm not coming off the bench," he said, per Oram. "I don't know the lineup, but I know I'll be in it."

Lakers head coach Luke Walton started both Ingram and Kuzma against Minnesota. Ingram finished with 24 points, five rebounds and three blocks in 25 minutes, while Kuzma had 19 points and six rebounds in 32 minutes.

Ingram had impressive numbers, but some thought he continued to struggle playing with LeBron James.

Kuzma is arguably the better complementary piece for James. He's a better long-range shooter and a better rebounder, the latter of which is valuable for a Lakers team that is tied for 23rd in rebounding differential (minus-3.7).

But Ingram is a bigger part of Los Angeles' future and, at 21, is two years younger than Kuzma.

In an interview with ESPN during the NBA Summer League, Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson singled out Ingram as somebody who could benefit greatly from James' presence.

"I think the guy who LeBron is going to have the biggest impact on is Brandon Ingram," Johnson said (h/t Lakers Nation's Corey Hansford). "Because he has the size and length to be really special."

Having two young players worthy of a starting role is a good problem for Walton to have but a problem nonetheless. 

Walton's rotations should be built with Ingram's development in mind, even if it means potentially alienating Kuzma.