NBA Rumors: Ex-Lakers Forward Yet To Prove Wizards Made Right Call To Trade Westbrook

When Kyle Kuzma was traded to the Washington Wizards in the offseason, the move was seen to benefit him. as It would allow him to flourish and follow the footsteps of other ex-Los Angeles Lakers standouts such as Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, Jordan Clarkson and Lonzo Ball.

Considering he is getting the second-most minutes in playing time with the Wizards, it addresses a stumbling block he had when he was still with his old team.

Unfortunately, the 26-year-old has not responded to the big jump in minutes as most had expected.

If one is to look at his numbers, they have jacked up a bit with the extra minutes (from 28.7 to 33.3 minutes).

In the four games where he has started for the Wizards, Kuzma has normed 13.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.

Those are notable numbers. But if there is one thing that the Michigan native needs to address, it is his shooting. He averages just 48.1% from the field and a woeful 29.6% from beyond the arc.

Before he was traded, a lot was expected from the 6-foot-9 cager. The Lakers needed a shooter, and most felt that Kuzma was the closest to getting a third superstar.

But with limited minutes because he was playing behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the challenge to step up and get more touches was hard to come by.

However, the case is entirely different in Washington. Bradley Beal is the only one ahead of him and he is getting more chances on the court.

Also, Kuzma is on a team that needs someone to help Beal.

It may be too early to pass judgment on the 27th overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft and improvements could happen.

Kuzma may just be on the wrong team. Hence, his true value may only be seen over time.

The numbers do look impressive for Kuzma this early. However, it remains that they can still be improved further and his shooting appears to be the notable flaw.