Kyle Kuzma agrees to three-year, $40 million extension with Lakers
LOS ANGELES -- Searching for clarity on his role with the team, forward Kyle Kuzma seems to have found it.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Kuzma and the Los Angeles Lakers agreed to terms on a three-year, $40 million contract extension, which includes a player option on the 2023-24 season.
The Lakers officially announced the deal on Sunday.
The structure of Kuzma’s new deal appears similar to a three-year, $40 million contract that L.A. swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope recently signed with the team.
Kuzma had said his representation had been in talks with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka but did not know if anything would get done this year. Kuzma also had expressed concern about his role on the team this season.
However, frontline players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis had pointed to Kuzma’s maturation and expected him to take on a bigger role this year. The new agreement seems to indicate the Lakers believe the 25-year-old is an important part of the team’s future moving forward.
James signaled his approval via twitter:
