- Malik Monk says he’s open to taking less money to stay with Lakers
- Report: Kyrie Irving could be willing to sign with Lakers for $6 million mid-level exception
- Report: Lakers are only team eyeing Kyrie Irving via sign-and-trade, but Nets aren’t believed to have interest in available deals
- Report: Sources ‘very’ close to the situation ‘strongly’ believe Kyrie Irving is trying to make his way to the Lakers
- Draymond Green says he and LeBron James had a phone call and talked about how crazy it is to go from 3 championship rings to 4
- J.R. Smith seen working out alongside Lakers superstar LeBron James
- Bulls legend Scottie Pippen pens emotional letter to his son following his deal with Lakers
- Pacers lottery pick challenges LeBron James: ‘A lot of people say he’s great…he’s going to have to show me he’s better than me’
- Report: Lakers have the most interest out of all teams in Kyrie Irving
- Darvin Ham and Rob Pelinka have had multiple meetings with Russell Westbrook, imploring him to be defense-first player
Report: Carmelo Anthony challenged Kyle Kuzma to start using his voice as ‘future’ of NBA
- Updated: November 24, 2020
Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma is one of the better young players in the league.
As a matter of fact, Portland Trail Blazers star Carmelo Anthony gave Kuzma high praise when they were together in the NBA bubble in Orlando, Fla. earlier this year.
However, with that praise also came a challenge.
“Some of the O.G.s used it as an opportunity to connect with the next generation: like Carmelo Anthony, a 17-year veteran, who said his most memorable conversation took place over drinks at the Yacht Club with younger players Kyle Kuzma and Devin Booker,” Taylor Rooks wrote in GQ.com of the NBA bubble experience. “Melo told them that they were the ‘future of the NBA’ and to ‘start using your voices more and stop relying on us to do all the talking while y’all sit back.'”
On the court, Kuzma, 25, appeared to take a step back last season after having a strong sophomore campaign.
Last season, the forward collected 12.8 points, 4.5 boards and 1.3 assists per game. All averages marked career-lows.
However, during the 2018-19 season, Kuzma put up a career-best 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest. He was the Lakers’ second-leading scorer behind superstar LeBron James that season.
Of course, the Lakers’ acquisition of transcendent talent Anthony Davis in June 2019 put Kuzma down in the franchise’s pecking order.
Davis, 27, put up a monster 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.3 blocks per game last season. He led the team in points, rebounds, blocks and steals.
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