Kyle Kuzma
In this picture, Kyle Kuzma #0, and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers react during a timeout in the fourth quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Barclays Center on December 18, 2018 in New York City. Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers will finally make his 2019-20 NBA season debut on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers. It will be recalled that the 24-year-old suffered a foot injury when Kuzma was practicing with Team USA.

However, the Lakers are expected to slowly blend in Kuzma to the rotation. He is coming off a stress reaction injury that limited his mobility. But according to a report by Shams Charania of The Athletic, the 27th overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft is good to go. Last NBA season, Kuzma averaged 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 70 games.

Kuzma’s return is good news for the Lakers and its fans. Head coach Frank Vogel gets another offensive option in the 6-foot-8, particularly from the outside. Originally, he was expected to start at the small forward position. Coming off an injury, he will need to work his way back to shape before earning back that spot.

So far, the Lakers have been doing well after dropping their first game to the Clippers. The Lakers still have players in sickbay. That includes Rajon Rondo who is dealing with a calf-sprain and DeMarcus Cousins (ACL). Rondo may return at any point soon while Cousins remains questionable this NBA season. In a previous post, it was mentioned that the Lakers are still leaving the door open for Boogie if he heals up in time for the NBA playoffs.

Active players are dealing with some sort of injury as well. That includes Davis who has shoulder soreness issues. Vogel revealed that they will have to manage the minutes of their players if they are to make a serious push in the NBA playoffs.

“It’s an 82-game grind, and obviously the playoffs are the most important part. We want everybody fresh going into it, so when you have an injury of whatever severity it may be, you really defer to the medical team, and then they know where we stand. We’re not going to force guys out there unless they’re good to go,” said Vogel in a report from the Silver Screen and Roll.

Winning this early speaks well for the Los Angeles Lakers. But if they fall by the time the NBA playoffs come around, the push ends up technically useless.

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