With the draft closely approaching, we continue to evaluate potential prospects for the Brooklyn Nets. Utah forward Kyle Kuzma has been flying under-the-radar. Have the Nets noticed?
Statistics: 16.4 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 32% 3PT
Combine Measurements: 6’9″, 223 lbs, 7’0″ wingspan, 34″ max vertical
Age: 21
Since the arrival of general manager Sean Marks, the Nets have made one thing clear. Instead of pursuing superstar talent, they will rebuild this organization by unveiling ‘diamonds in the rough.’
Whether these players come from the G-League, free agency or the draft, that’s been the clear vision of the Marks-led rebuild. Players such as Sean Kilpatrick, Joe Harris, Archie Goodwin, Spencer Dinwiddie, KJ McDaniels, Quincy Acy and even Caris LeVert can all be seen as examples.
It’s the right way to do this. The Nets have limited draft picks, and while they have the cap space to sign big-time free agents, the ‘lure’ isn’t there… yet.
With three picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, the Nets have an opportunity to add ‘undervalued’ talent. Handfuls of players will become available to them when it’s their turn to pick. However, with the Nets picking at the back-end of the first and second-rounds (22, 27, and 57), they have their work cut out for them to find impact players.
If there’s one team who has experience in identifying ‘undervalued’ players, it’s these Brooklyn Nets. With that being said, one player often overlooked has been Utah forward Kyle Kuzma.
At the NBA Combine, Kuzma impressed, to say the least. He scored 20 points in the 5 on 5 portion, nailing 4/5 from distance. In May, DraftExpress listed him as the 58th player to go off the board. Now, he’s projected to go 31st.
After the combine, one GM had some nice things to say about Kuzma.
"“I didn’t really see Kuzma as much of a prospect before this, but he’ll force us to go watch more tape. What he did today is exactly the thing we are asking 4s to do in our league now. I really liked him.”"
Ivan Rabb, another PAC-12 big man, was asked who may be the most undervalued player at the combine. His answer: Kuzma.
"“I think Kyle Kuzma is very under-appreciated. He’s a big that can do it all. He can put it on the deck, he can play the three or the four in my opinion. He can defend, he can play off the bounce. He’s aggressive and plays hard.”"
When competing against Rabb, Kuzma averaged 19 points and 7 rebounds per game in their three outings. Rabb is currently mocked 29th by DraftExpress.
Needless to say, Kuzma is gaining steam at the right time. He has the body to play on the wing or in the post, and the skills to excel in both areas. He can attack the rim from the perimeter, and does a fantastic job using both hands around the rim when finishing. Kuzma also sees the floor very well for a 6’9″ player, which helps him on defense just as much as offense. There’s a lot to like about this guy, and with the right developmental team, there could be more.
He only shot 32% from three in his junior season at Utah, but his mechanics are very clean.
As you can see, Kuzma is very versatile. He can do A LOT of things on the court.
When watching him, one may ask: ‘What position does this guy play?’ Kenny Atkinson would tell you, “It doesn’t matter. He’s a basketball player.”
@BrooklynNets thanks for the opportunity!
— kuz (@kylekuzma) June 14, 2017
He’s worked out for Brooklyn, so there appears to be interest. Do they like him enough to grab him in the first-round? Maybe.
As stated before, he’s currently projected 31st to Atlanta in the most recent DraftExpress mock. Ironically enough, that pick once belonged to Brooklyn, but was included in the Joe Johnson deal that now feels like decades ago.
Next: Projecting Brooklyn Nets draft big board 2.0
Either way, there’s a growing sense the Nets will purchase an additional second-round pick. If Kuzma slides into the second-round, it won’t be long until a team selects him. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Nets grab him with the 27th pick, but it all depends on who is still available at the time of their pick.
June 22nd could be a day to remember for Nets fans, but until then, remember the name Kyle Kuzma.