Lakers News Feed: Are Kyle Kuzma, LeBron James & Co. Being Underestimated?

Trevor Lane
2 Min Read


The Los Angeles Lakers have an intriguing team filled with talent for the 2018-19 season. They landed the biggest free agent of them all when LeBron James signed with the team, instantly pushing them back towards contention.

To compliment James, the Lakers then brought in veterans Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee, Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley. However, if the Lakers truly are to reach contender status this season, it’s going to take the team’s young core stepping up.

Players like Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball will have to improve their play and show that they are ready to help James take the team to the next level.

To that point, Kuzma recently expressed his and James’ that the Lakers are being underestimated heading into the season.

The LN News Feed, with host Trevor Lane, takes a look at the claim and considers whether the Lakers, who Las Vegas has projected at 48.5 wins, are truly being overlooked by those in NBA circles.

The over/under certainly doesn’t seem pessimistic, but does Kuzma have a point regardless?

After all, it wasn’t long ago when the narrative was that James decided to sign with the Lakers because he was enamored with the business opportunities that being in Los Angeles would bring, not the quality of basketball.

To youngsters such as Kuzma, who is certainly part of the ballyhooed roster core, this is something of a slap in the face, inherently suggesting that he and the rest of the team are not good enough James to consider joining them without being swayed by Hollywood.

Will this feeling of being overlooked lead to a breakout season from the team’s young players? Click the player above to give the show a listen.

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Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com