The Los Angeles Lakers may not be at full strength when training camp begins this weekend with Kyle Kuzma still recovering from an ankle injury.
The Lakers increasingly fear Kuzma will not be ready for the start of training camp as his left foot continues to heal, league sources say. LA"s first two practices are Saturday
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 24, 2019
Kuzma injured his left ankle during an exhibition match against Australia last month. It was a game that was meant to prepare Team USA for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
In that particular game versus Australia, the Los Angeles Lakers forward scored 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc. The work he put in this summer included a reworking of his shooting form, and it paid off handsomely for Kuzma during that friendly contest.
Unfortunately, the injury kept him from further participating in the international tournament. His absence affected Team USA in a big way as it lost one of its best scorers.
The Lakers hope that Kuzma will be able to join them ahead of the start of the regular season. As arguably the team’s third-most talented player behind All-Stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the 24-year old is integral to the team’s success.
Last season, Kuzma was the Lakers’ second-leading scorer with an average of 18.7 points per game.
