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The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread

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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#61 » by doclinkin » Mon Sep 6, 2021 4:26 am

payitforward wrote:Can anyone pick out Joel Ayayi in this group?


Dark T-shirt, tannish yellowish booty shorts. Like he took his little brother's shorts. He's the only guy playing defense. Well, Kuzma is but only when facing Dinwiddie.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#62 » by DCZards » Mon Sep 6, 2021 4:34 am

payitforward wrote:Can anyone pick out Joel Ayayi in this group?

Who cares. Why is that important?
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#63 » by Ruzious » Mon Sep 6, 2021 11:22 am

closg00 wrote:The video is back up again

I would have liked to see Spencer make some jumpers, but otherwise, I thought he looked good. I thought Kuzma played poorly at both ends, but it was just a scrimmage.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#64 » by doclinkin » Tue Sep 7, 2021 12:04 am

Ruzious wrote:
closg00 wrote:The video is back up again

I would have liked to see Spencer make some jumpers, but otherwise, I thought he looked good. I thought Kuzma played poorly at both ends, but it was just a scrimmage.


I thought Kuz was okay. He was at least noticeable, most of the other players blurred into the background. Kuz has a smooth stroke from 3, an iffy handle, no real inside game, but did play occasional defense even in a pick-up game. Made a timely pass for an assist once or twice.

I liked Spencer clearly working on his point guard game. Not so much his both gunning from outside and then complaining when he missed. Like okay, work on that stroke then. His shot needs rebuilding, some of his shots start at his chin. But yeah he can get to the inside whenever he wants, handle is tight, speed is back.

The Makers are fun to watch in this setting. Especially Makur Maker.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#65 » by long suffrin' boulez fan » Tue Sep 7, 2021 12:10 pm

Gotta say I’m pretty dang excited about Dinwiddie. Guy thinks on another level. Never seems to let the game speed him up. And those handles.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#66 » by Gavin_TDThree » Tue Sep 7, 2021 4:25 pm

Ruzious wrote:
closg00 wrote:The video is back up again

I would have liked to see Spencer make some jumpers, but otherwise, I thought he looked good. I thought Kuzma played poorly at both ends, but it was just a scrimmage.


At 1:55 you can see him pop a jumper.

It's good to see him back on the floor though



I think the additions of Kuzma and Spencer, should be a really interesting season!

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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#67 » by doclinkin » Wed Sep 8, 2021 1:49 am



Good interview. Comes off as thoughtful and calm. And ready for the next opportunity. Focused by having been a role player on a championship team. Self aware that he was not committed to defense or rebounding when he first joined the league. Clearly eager to make his mark here.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#68 » by badinage » Wed Sep 8, 2021 1:18 pm

We should be talking more about the fact the Spurs wanted him — that they were trying to acquire him in a DeRozan trade.

I remember thinking WTF? The Spurs? For DeRozan?

It made me look at Kuz through new eyes. If the Spurs want you, are targeting you, you can’t be bad.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#69 » by Frichuela » Wed Sep 8, 2021 2:19 pm

badinage wrote:We should be talking more about the fact the Spurs wanted him — that they were trying to acquire him in a DeRozan trade.

I remember thinking WTF? The Spurs? For DeRozan?

It made me look at Kuz through new eyes. If the Spurs want you, are targeting you, you can’t be bad.


Indeed. This is to hoping he can improve as player for us. A Kuzma shooting +36% from 3 who plays defense and has some play making would make a fine starter for us.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#70 » by payitforward » Wed Sep 8, 2021 6:43 pm

Kuzma shot over 36% on 3s last year. He does play defense. Forget the play-making; that's not his game.

The only real question about his upside is this: can he play the 3 full time? I.e. given the play-making deficit. What might make it possible?

One answer is that he is such a plus rebounder for that position.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#71 » by doclinkin » Tue Sep 14, 2021 2:41 pm

doclinkin wrote:Looking at shot charts for our mismatches is instructive and intriguing.

Kuzma, man. The thing that astounded me was how remarkably average he was. Like ridiculously consistently average. He is within a percentage of ordinary at every spot on the floor.


At first it occurred to me this was the mark of a mediocre to sub-par player. But then it occurred to me that it is pretty remarkable to be better than half the league from any spot you shoot. Not ordinary at all. It means you can't really chase him out of his comfort zone. Most players have hot spots and weak zones. Not Kuz. Last year he was a hair of a percentage better or worse than average at any spot other than the left corner three (his only weak spot, -6% compared to the league). In other words the shots he takes are all reasonable shots. Yeah he could make that. He has no mid-range game so he rarely takes long 2's, no floaters or reckless drives into traffic. He attacks the basket when its open or he shoots a 3. Either way he averages better than 1 pt/shot whether inside or out.

Any coach can work with that. He can fit any play they draw up, on either side of the floor.

Granted, without AD and LeBJ drawing attention, he won't get as many open shots, so maybe his efficiency drops again. Maybe that is a LeBJ effect where he both draws the attention and then gets you the ball in the right position to do something with it. Still Brad and Spencer do pull defenders, we have shooters elsewhere, high percentage scorers inside. He will get his chances without having to force the issue.

Kuz puts up about a dozen 20 pt games a year, and about as many double doubles, even with LeBJ and AD taking up a lot of air. He doesn't turn it over much, doesn't foul. That's a steady B-minus student. He's not the star quarterback, or even the captain of the chess club, he has no freakish specialized skill, but there's enough to appreciate about a guy who shows up and puts in the work and does a decent job of whatever task you give him.

Maybe he is no star, as the spoiled Laker crowd expects. He's a pro though. If you have a steady and reliable player who plays D, rebounds well, shoots for average on any play, and makes few mistakes, you've got solid guy you can trust to hold his own.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#72 » by DCZards » Tue Sep 14, 2021 3:25 pm

I haven't been a fan of Kuzma's game the last couple of years. Seemed like he was not showing up when the Lakers needed him the most. Yet, among the new guys on the roster, Kuzma is the player I'm most intrigued by and somewhat excited about.

Kyle's experience playing next to LBJ and AD and on a championship team will prove invaluable. But, more importantly, I believe that now that he's out from under the shadow of LBJ and AD he has a real opportunity to shine.

Kuzma is still young (26 years old) and if he plays well he's a keeper and not someone you look to move simply because you want to develop and find minutes for youngsters like Deni, Kispert and Rui. At the end of the day, Kuzma could prove to be a better NBA player than all three of them.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#73 » by doclinkin » Tue Sep 14, 2021 8:00 pm

DCZards wrote:I haven't been a fan of Kuzma's game the last couple of years. Seemed like he was not showing up when the Lakers needed him the most. Yet, among the new guys on the roster, Kuzma is the player I'm most intrigued by and somewhat excited about.

Kyle's experience playing next to LBJ and AD and on a championship team will prove invaluable. But, more importantly, I believe that now that he's out from under the shadow of LBJ and AD he has a real opportunity to shine.

Kuzma is still young (26 years old) and if he plays well he's a keeper and not someone you look to move simply because you want to develop and find minutes for youngsters like Deni, Kispert and Rui. At the end of the day, Kuzma could prove to be a better NBA player than all three of them.



Yeah he has shown tantalizing flashes of talent, but has only managed to be consistently average. However it sounds like has learned a great deal from the example of LeBJ as a team leader and exemplar of hard work, and on defense picking up tips and principles from AD. He simply may not have that killer mindset, the rage to compete that enables the best players to live up to their talents and improve all the time. He is candid about not caring enough on defense his first couple years in the league, and the championship run taught him a great deal. His focus on rebounding, that he was able to rack better stats in this regard once he decided to do so, suggests that yeah there is untapped talent there.

He stated his desire over the summer was to get stronger so that he will be a better defender, and to work on his handle so he can be a playmaker and not merely a catch and shoot player. Okay, both of those things are worthy goals. You can see him making sharp crisp passes at times. I expect he sees the model that LeBJ exemplifies as a playmaking Big and thinks he can approximate that role. Having seen it done, he can model it for others.

I'm curious if he has another level. You see his dunk reels and have to be impressed at the potential. He is mobile, long, athletic and seems smart. If he gets stronger ok maybe he gets the confidence to impose his will on the game. Even if not, he can still be a useful player, just not a consistent mismatch in our favor.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#74 » by payitforward » Tue Sep 14, 2021 9:14 pm

doclinkin wrote:
DCZards wrote:I haven't been a fan of Kuzma's game the last couple of years. Seemed like he was not showing up when the Lakers needed him the most. Yet, among the new guys on the roster, Kuzma is the player I'm most intrigued by and somewhat excited about.

Kyle's experience playing next to LBJ and AD and on a championship team will prove invaluable. But, more importantly, I believe that now that he's out from under the shadow of LBJ and AD he has a real opportunity to shine.

Kuzma is still young (26 years old) and if he plays well he's a keeper and not someone you look to move simply because you want to develop and find minutes for youngsters like Deni, Kispert and Rui. At the end of the day, Kuzma could prove to be a better NBA player than all three of them.

Yeah he has shown tantalizing flashes of talent, but has only managed to be consistently average. However it sounds like has learned a great deal from the example of LeBJ as a team leader and exemplar of hard work, and on defense picking up tips and principles from AD. He simply may not have that killer mindset, the rage to compete that enables the best players to live up to their talents and improve all the time. He is candid about not caring enough on defense his first couple years in the league, and the championship run taught him a great deal. His focus on rebounding, that he was able to rack better stats in this regard once he decided to do so, suggests that yeah there is untapped talent there.

He stated his desire over the summer was to get stronger so that he will be a better defender, and to work on his handle so he can be a playmaker and not merely a catch and shoot player. Okay, both of those things are worthy goals. You can see him making sharp crisp passes at times. I expect he sees the model that LeBJ exemplifies as a playmaking Big and thinks he can approximate that role. Having seen it done, he can model it for others.

I'm curious if he has another level. You see his dunk reels and have to be impressed at the potential. He is mobile, long, athletic and seems smart. If he gets stronger ok maybe he gets the confidence to impose his will on the game. Even if not, he can still be a useful player, just not a consistent mismatch in our favor.

Kuzma was not good as a rookie -- he wasn't even good for a rookie. Then, his second year, he scored more points but was worse overall -- not better. His third year, Kuzma got worse again. I had just about given up on his career to tell the truth.

Then came last year, his 4th year. He improved significantly across the board. If you compared his numbers to those of pure 3's around the league, Kuzma was above average overall. But, Kuzma spent half his time at the 4 last year, & 4s put up overall better raw numbers than 3's. So, overall, he was a little below the average productivity of someone who played the minutes/position he played.

All the same, it was a really significant improvement. He didn't score more points; he scored fewer points -- but his efficiency was up so much that it was an excellent result. Plus, his defensive boards were up significantly, & so were his offensive boards. His assists also were up, & he committed fewer fouls.

So, here's the thing: if Kyle Kuzma plays the 3 for us, he'll be fine. More than adequate & with the opportunity to improve. To become a plus player.

If he plays the 4, however, he won't be fine. Kyle has played 8200 NBA minutes. That's a lot. He hasn't ever been a good 4. That's a fact.

Of course it's possible to hear the wishes & dreams inside one's head say that he can be terrific at the PF position. But they have no effect on Kuzma, alas. & the truth is that, no, he can't.

So, play him at the 3!
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#75 » by Ruzious » Tue Sep 14, 2021 10:00 pm

There's essentially no difference between the 3 and 4 with the Wiz and most teams on offense. The only teams I can think of that it makes a real difference are Milwaukee (and even they started playing Giannis more at center as the playoffs went on) and LAL (when they're not using Anthony Davis at center).
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#76 » by payitforward » Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:23 pm

I understand what you mean, Ruz. But, that's at a level of abstraction irrelevant to my point.

If we have, let's say, Dinwiddie, Beal, KCP & Gafford on the floor with Kuzma, then he is playing the 4 by definition.

OTOH, if we have Kuzma on the floor with, say, Gafford & Harrell, then even if he isn't playing the 3 "by definition" the effect is the same.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#77 » by Chocolate City Jordanaire » Thu Sep 16, 2021 7:14 am

Ruzious wrote:There's essentially no difference between the 3 and 4 with the Wiz and most teams on offense. The only teams I can think of that it makes a real difference are Milwaukee (and even they started playing Giannis more at center as the playoffs went on) and LAL (when they're not using Anthony Davis at center).

Way back in the day Louisville Cardinal basketball had the McCray brothers. They were about 6’7 “ or 6’8”. Rodney and Scooter. And it seem to me that all the other players on their team or in that 6’5” vicinity.

I’ve always thought a team of five Magic Johnsons would be pretty damn good.

In my mind I already think of basketball as position-less. I did not play at a high enough level to understand why there needs to be a 1,2,3,4, or five if guys have that functional skill set—that they can operate at any level.

(I do not see why I am NBA team and its coaching staff Could not arbitrarily put a fat 6 foot five guy with the build of DeJuan Blair at Center. Convention and practicality suck at times)

I said this before and I know it sounds crazy but I would have a team full of zeros or sixes.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#78 » by Ruzious » Thu Sep 16, 2021 2:21 pm

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:
Ruzious wrote:There's essentially no difference between the 3 and 4 with the Wiz and most teams on offense. The only teams I can think of that it makes a real difference are Milwaukee (and even they started playing Giannis more at center as the playoffs went on) and LAL (when they're not using Anthony Davis at center).

Way back in the day Louisville Cardinal basketball had the McCray brothers. They were about 6’7 “ or 6’8”. Rodney and Scooter. And it seem to me that all the other players on their team or in that 6’5” vicinity.

I’ve always thought a team of five Magic Johnsons would be pretty damn good.

In my mind I already think of basketball as position-less. I did not play at a high enough level to understand why there needs to be a 1,2,3,4, or five if guys have that functional skill set—that they can operate at any level.

(I do not see why I am NBA team and its coaching staff Could not arbitrarily put a fat 6 foot five guy with the build of DeJuan Blair at Center. Convention and practicality suck at times)

I said this before and I know it sounds crazy but I would have a team full of zeros or sixes.

Come to think of it, the McCray's were probably ahead of their time - positionless players who were round pegs that couldn't fit in square holes. They'd probably fit much better in today's NBA - though I don't remember if they could shoot.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#79 » by Ruzious » Thu Sep 16, 2021 2:31 pm

payitforward wrote:I understand what you mean, Ruz. But, that's at a level of abstraction irrelevant to my point.

If we have, let's say, Dinwiddie, Beal, KCP & Gafford on the floor with Kuzma, then he is playing the 4 by definition.

OTOH, if we have Kuzma on the floor with, say, Gafford & Harrell, then even if he isn't playing the 3 "by definition" the effect is the same.


But your examples are only true because of the players you chose to team him with - which usually won't be the case. I think the "definitions" you're using there are not relevant most of the time. Gafford and Harrell might never play together, for example.
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Re: The Official Kyle Kuzma Thread 

Post#80 » by payitforward » Thu Sep 16, 2021 7:24 pm

Ruzious wrote:
payitforward wrote:I understand what you mean, Ruz. But, that's at a level of abstraction irrelevant to my point.

If we have, let's say, Dinwiddie, Beal, KCP & Gafford on the floor with Kuzma, then he is playing the 4 by definition.

OTOH, if we have Kuzma on the floor with, say, Gafford & Harrell, then even if he isn't playing the 3 "by definition" the effect is the same.

But your examples are only true because of the players you chose to team him with - which usually won't be the case. I think the "definitions" you're using there are not relevant most of the time. Gafford and Harrell might never play together, for example.

Fair enough. But you get my first case, I think. If Kuzma is on the floor with "Dinwiddie, Beal, KCP & Gafford..., then he is playing the 4 by definition."

Really, I'm making a point that isn't worth quite this much attention. It reflects a simple fact: if you look at Kuzma's numbers per 40 minutes they are, overall, a bit better than an average 3 but, overall, a bit below an average 4. Thus if you play him with an average 4 as the other forward, the combined numbers of the two forwards will probably be better than they will be if you play him with an average 3. The difference is likely below the noise level on a whole season.
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