Lakers News: New Kyle Kuzma Contract Will Be Discussed 'When the Time Is Right'
The Los Angeles Lakers have apparently tabled discussions with Kyle Kuzma over a long-term extension.
General manager Rob Pelinka addressed Kuzma's contract situation with reporters Thursday following the 2020 NBA draft, per Spectrum SportsNet's Mike Trudell:
"Since we drafted him, he's been terrific. We've all seen his growth. As you guys know, the way the rules work, he has next season under contract with the Lakers and he's extension eligible this offseason. He has great representation, and when the time is right we'll sit down and speak with them. We're proud of drafting Kuz, we're incredibly proud of his growth as a player. I think he showed in the bubble his ability to play at the wing and at the 4. Some 3 and some 4. When you lose a defender and a wing player like Danny Green, I think Kyle, we're going to count on him to step in and play some of that wing role as well, but he has the versatility to do it. He's been a great player for us. I expect that he'll continue to grow next season."
SNY's Ian Begley reported Nov. 14 that "there isn’t a consensus among decision-makers" in L.A. about Kuzma.
The 25-year-old is due to become a restricted free agent after the 2020-21 season, and what kind of money he stands to earn in 2021 has been a question hanging over the Lakers since before LeBron James' arrival. The addition of Anthony Davis made the matter even murkier since Kuzma had to play a slightly lesser role, thus making it more difficult to gauge his on-court value.
Kuzma didn't exactly thrive while coming off the bench.
His 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game were lower than his production through his first two years (17.3 points, 5.9 rebounds), which was to be expected. Somewhat concerning, he remained an inefficient shooter. He hit 31.6 percent of his three-pointers and 35 percent of his catch-and-shoot opportunities, per NBA.com.
Kuzma's performance didn't offer a ton of encouragement, at least within the context of a young player who's due for a sizable raise in the near future while playing on a team with two All-NBA talents.
One consideration for Pelinka is that the Lakers expended almost all of their best assets to land Davis, leaving Kuzma as the most attractive chip to include in a package for an older, more proven star. As long as James is on the roster, the short term gets priority over long term.
The simplest path is letting Kuzma play out the season without agreeing to an extension and seeing what kind of market develops. The biggest issue with that route is that it only takes one team to go above and beyond with an offer sheet. The Sacramento Kings throwing a four-year, $78 million deal at Zach LaVine is a recent example.
Wherever Los Angeles is leaning, Pelinka's comments indicate the franchise isn't feeling rushed.
