NBA: Warriors Star Sees Kyle Kuzma Stepping Up As Third Superstar For Lakers

Kyle Kuzma may be the only remnant of the young core the Los Angeles Lakers took in the past years and most feel that there is a reason behind it. And seeing how the purple and gold have not signed that key third superstar, Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors believes that the 27th overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft could rev up to that role.

Speaking to The Los Angeles Times, Thompson said he thinks Kuzma is perfect for today's game, singling out his ability to score on the perimeter. Also, the 29-year-old guard who may miss most (if not all) of the 2019-20 NBA season said that one department that Kuzma has to improve on is his ability to catch-and-shoot. Once he can address that, he could easily step into that third superstar role the Lakers are looking for.

Looking at the progress of Kuzma so far, that should be a minor tweak needed in his offensive arsenal. He has shown that he can score when needed without touching the ball. His role for the coming NBA season is expected to change with James, Davis and other new faces likely to have the ball in their hands. At any rate, he is likely to have to work for his minutes with plenty of new proven and talented faces in the mix.

Before all that, there is USA Basketball to think about. As mentioned in a previous post, most big NBA names have withdrawn from Team USA set to participate the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China. Kuzma could get that big break and further improve his craft under the watch of established head coaches Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr. These are the same two guys who Thompson credits for being a success.

Despite some critics saying that Team USA may be in for some rough sailing, some of the remaining stars feel otherwise. That includes Donovan Mitchell who believes that the team still has what it takes to complete a three-peat.

"At the end of the day, it doesn't matter who we have, we're going to compete for our country and I'm excited to play," he said in a report from TMZ Sports.