It looks like the Los Angeles Lakers will have to open their 2019-20 season without standout third-year forward Kyle Kuzma who is battling a left foot injury. Kuzma, who was the last player cut from this summer’s Team USA roster, is dealing with a stress reaction in his left foot. According to NY Times’ Marc Stein, Kuzma is out indefinitely.
The Lakers make it official and confirm our @NYTSports report from Tuesday that Kyle Kuzma is out indefinitely with a stress reaction in his left foot
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 26, 2019
While his efficiency is still greatly lacking, Kyle Kuzma has been a serviceable player for LA the past two seasons. With the Lakers opening their training camp this Sunday, Kuzma will certainly still be a ways from returning. His availability for LA’s regular-season opener against the Clippers is also a huge question mark, to say the least.
Coming off another incredibly successful and splashy offseason, the Lakers have already been hit with the injury bug prior to training camp getting underway. Free-agent signee DeMarcus Cousins is out for the season with a torn ACL, thinning out LA’s frontcourt rotation even further.
Though Kuzma hasn’t always been the most dependable scorer, he can put up points in bunches. Kuzma’s ability to attack from the outside as a taller forward makes him an ideal complement to LeBron James and his passing. Kuzma averaged 18.7 points on just over 45% shooting from the field to go with 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists last season.
Now, Kuzma will start his third professional campaign on the injury list and perhaps poised to miss extended time. Now with Kuzma and Cousins both out, LA will feature Anthony Davis even more than expected early on. The Lakers will travel to China for two matchups with the Brooklyn Nets before returning back for their season opener against the Clippers on Oct. 22.
