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Kyle Kuzma believes that Washington Wizards shooting guard Jordan Poole is struggling to find form with the DC franchise as he adapts to more time in the spotlight.
Poole has now gone from third choice in San Francisco to first choice in the capital of the USA as he stepped out of the shadow of Steph Curry's team, but his form has so far not been inspiring, leaving observers to question just what is going on.
Kuzma, who said he was in a similar situation when he was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021, believes he has the answer to Poole's struggles.
"It's tough when you're coming from being a third or fourth option. I can speak on this because I've done it," Kuzma said. "You're coming into a new situation and where you're more of a focal point, it's tough sometimes.
"That's a lot of responsibility. You have to be able to obviously produce at a high level, but get your teammates involved, too."
Is Kuzma right?
Poole has currently played 15 games in the NBA season with an average of 29.8 minutes each, which is almost identical to the previous two seasons with the Golden State Warriors, whom he departed in 2023.
So at a glance, it doesn't appear that the volume of minutes is an issue. However, after averaging 20.4 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per game and 4.5 assists per game in the Bay Area, his numbers have dropped.
In the 2023/24 NBA season, Poole has averaged 17.7 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per game and 3.6 assists per game despite having the same playing time. It suggests that he is actually being targeted more with the production drop.
Who do the Wizards play next?
The Wizards next take to the court to face the Detroit Pistons on the road at the Little Caesars Arena. The game is scheduled take place on November 27.
It's a bottom-of-the-Eastern-Conference clash as the pair share the same record of two wins and 14 losses in 16 games, leaving them both with a .125 winning percentage.