A Wheeler's Opinion: 3 Reasons Why the Lakers will Improve this Season

A Ball, A KuzMazing Steal and more...

The dynamic duo of Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma will bring good things for the Lakers. 

Ever since the possibility of Lonzo Ball coming to the Purple and Gold was hyped up, many of the Laker fans around the world had their hopes went high especially considering how talented Lonzo is in his lone playing year in UCLA. 

And right after picking up Ball as the 2nd pick in this year's NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers also received the rights to pick Kyle Kuzma as the 27th pick after acquiring the rights from the Brooklyn Nets which also landed them another star big man in Brook Lopez. 

While Lonzo Ball is beyond reasonable doubt, the main attraction in the Lakers nowadays, who would have thought that Kyle Kuzma is a hidden treasure in the draft, someone whom the Nets sorely missed?

Let this basketball pundit break the good things that will bring more success to the Lakers this season and beyond:

Lonzo Ball

Let's start with the most obvious one. After averaging 14 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists with UCLA, Lonzo Ball made sure that his presence was felt as he averaged 16 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists while playing in 8 games during the Summer League in Las Vegas- a competition which the Lakers won. Oh and one more thing, Lonzo Ball bagged the MVP award during the Summer League, too.

Although his numbers had dropped the moment the preseason games began when he only played in two games before he was shut down due to an injury, we can expect him to be healthy and ready to rumble come the opening night. 

KuzMazing Steal from the Draft

While Lonzo Ball may be the most hyped rookie entering the 2017-2018 season, probably the most hyped rookie in the history of the NBA,  many are already saying that Kyle Kuzma will become the face of the Lakers and not Lonzo Ball, or Brandon Ingram, or even Julius Randle. 

This claim is backed by Kuzma's numbers in the preseason games of the Lakers when he averaged close to 20 points and 3 assists while making 56% of his shot attempts in 27 minutes of action. This will cost some of the veterans in the rotation of Luke Walton their playing minutes because Kuzma is actually playing better alongside Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle despite losing tons of their games during the preseason. 

If anything, Kyle Kuzma has already attracted attention from basketball fans around the world and this guy will likely give Lonzo Ball a run for his money because despite being the 27th pick in the draft, Kyle Kuzma, this early, is already being included as a candidate for the Rookie of the Year award. 

Yes, folks. Kyle Kuzma may steal the limelight away from Lonzo Ball. 

Out Mozgov. In Lopez.

Simply put it this way: Timofey Mozgov is USELESS. Brook Lopez is way BETTER. Lopez can contribute more for the Lakers than Mozgov who only wasted away the Lakers' money and the minutes that would be better given to more deserving AND performing players. Sure, the swap also included sending an immature D'Angelo Russell but this basketball pundit firmly believes that this swap will be worth it especially in the long run.

Conclusion:

While the three things mentioned above won't guarantee a return trip to the playoffs for the Lakers, they will certainly make things better. For starters, they will improve the chances of the Lakers in winning more games than just lagging below the standings in the packed and stacked Western Conference. And who knows? The dynamic duo of Kuzma and Ball might be the final piece to adding LeBron James into the picture, right?