Kyle Kuzma has received praise from his teammates for being such an integral piece to the team’s success this year. While they claim that Kuzma has become the team’s third scorer and plays a vital role for the team, many fans still don’t buy into it.
There are still those who thought the Lakers made a mistake when they traded Brandon Ingram, along with other pieces, instead of Kuzma to the New Orleans Pelicans in the Anthony Davis deal. It was clear that the Lakers saw more potential in the former Ute, but his overall production has taken a dip this season. That has led fans to turn on the Kuz and go as far as creating a Change.org petition that calls for him not to receive a ring if the Lakers win the NBA Finals.
C’mon man 😂🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/SCO4Vh00VP
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) October 4, 2020
So far, 10,117 individuals have signed the petition, which is calling for a total of 15,000 signatures. While there have certainly been times where Kuzma’s production this season has not met expectations, he has still been the team’s third scorer averaging 12.8 points a game. Yes, it is a step back from last season which saw him average 18.7 points per game.
However, that was pre-Anthony Davis. When you have two players such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis, your stats are naturally going to decline a little. Kuzma’s role has shifted this season with the addition of Davis. He has taken a step back from the team’s second scorer and has instead become more of an impact player off of the bench, much like Kawhi Leonard was during his first four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. He may not yet be the star fans have been promised, but his time will come.
Do you agree or disagree with the petition? Let us know in the comments!
