Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma is expected to make his return from injury in Friday’s game versus the Dallas Mavericks.
That being said, fans should not expect to get a full helping of Kuzma in his first game back from a fractured foot.
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania breaks down how the Lakers plan to integrate F Kyle Kuzma into the lineup starting Friday night vs. Mavericks. pic.twitter.com/UxVJwiE4Qk
— Stadium (@Stadium) October 31, 2019
“I’m told the Lakers will ease him back into the lineup and gradually bring him along,” Stadium’s Shams Charania said. “Don’t expect him to play more than 15 to 20 minutes to start in his return.”
This is no big surprise as the Lakers have no need to push Kuzma upon his return. Without the talented forward, the Lakers have cruised to a 3-1 record to start out the 2019-20 season, with two of those wins coming in lopsided fashion.
Once Kuzma is fully back to speed, there is no doubt that he will add a lot of value to this Lakers roster. With Anthony Davis and LeBron James leading the charge, Kuzma will look to take advantage of open shots and open lanes to the basket.
While the Lakers already seem to be something of a well-oiled machine early in this campaign, the return of Kuzma could very well take them to another level of performance.