After being one of the few young players to survive the exodus created by the Anthony Davis trade, Kyle Kuzma is under contract with the Los Angeles Lakers through next season after the team picked up the 4th year option on his rookie contract for 2020-21.
The team announced the move on Thursday morning. However, the team is still waiting for Kuzma to actually be able to practice with full-contact. Head coach Frank Vogel told reporters earlier this week that Kuzma would be able to practice without contact, which seems positive but is an indication that he’s still not ready to play.
Considering the Lakers are now five days away from their first game, it would seem unwise to expect Kuzma to be ready to start the season. Nevertheless, Kuzma doesn’t need to rush back because they have LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
But while the team option is an interesting news story, this could be the first step for the Lakers investing in Kuzma beyond next season. Kuzma is eligible for a rookie extension starting next July and the Lakers could sign him to a long-term deal keeping him in L.A. well beyond 2021.
