Kyle Kuzma Signs Contract Extension

As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Kyle Kuzma has signed a contract extension with the Lakers for three years, at 40 million dollars. He also has a player option for the 2023-24 season.

Great For Both Sides

This was a great move for both sides. The Lakers secure a young star at an amount that allows the team to keep its core together and Kyle Kuzma gets a significant pay raise and years added to his contract. Maybe Kuzma could’ve gotten a better deal money wise elsewhere, but that’s always a risk. Not to mention the value to Kuzma’s career to stay a Laker, win some rings, and still be relatively young in 2023 when he can opt out or stay another season as a Laker.

I’ve mentioned in my preseason review and my Kyle Kuzma player profile that he’s always been a point of contention for Lakers fans. This won’t stop the noise necessarily, but I think it proves a couple of things. One, the Lakers clearly value him as a key part of what makes them special. Two, they’re willing to pay him and didn’t want to risk another team paying him so much that it made retaining him impossible.

What’s Next?

Now the Lakers future is clear. It’s all about Lebron James, Anthony Davis, KCP, and Kyle Kuzma. These players, barring a trade, will be members of the Los Angeles Lakers for the next three seasons. They are the core of this team and will be largely responsible (at least to fans) for this teams success or failures. No excuses now. The Lakers have the players they want signed up for a three year window. Let’s see what they do. The season starts Tuesday.