Laker’s Coach Frank Vogel Gives Update On Kyle Kuzma’s Injury

Kyle Kuzma has been out due to his foot injury, and it looks like he may return in near future. Lakers head coach Frank Vogel provided an update on his player.

Vogel revealed Tuesday that while Kuzma is expected to miss the game against the Memphis Grizzlies, he recovers perfectly. The head coach didn’t reveal the right return date, but he did open the door for it to come at some point during the three-game road trip.

The Lakers are playing home on Tuesday night against Memphis. They will travel to Texas to play the Dallas Mavericks on Friday and San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. They will finish the road trip in Chicago against the Bulls next Tuesday. They are then coming home for a game against the Miami Heat next Friday.

Kuzma injured his ankle at training camp with Team USA ahead of the World Cup. This injury was actually a stress reaction, but Kuzma had to withdraw from Team USA and work on his recovery. The young Laker has only missed 17 games as a Laker, but the franchise is really careful with him early in the season. They are 2-1 at this point of the regular season, and the only game they lost was the season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers. In other words, the Lakers won’t rush Kuzma back to the floor.

Kuzma will be more than welcomed. LeBron James and Anthony Davis average over 48 points per game. Danny Green is the only player averaging in double digits. The Lakers need a strong scorer on the roster to relieve the pressure of LeBron and Davis. If Los Angeles keeps to play center in the starting lineup, Kuzma will have to come off of the bench to accommodate King James and Davis.

The young Laker traditionally plays better in the starting lineup. Vogel will have to find the right rotation for him, and he may need some time to find the best formula.

One thing stands for sure. Kuzma won’t return until he isn’t completely healthy. He wants to be the player No. 3 for the team, so maybe he will take that position.