Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Forward Kyle Kuzma has agreed to a multiyear contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, the team announced Sunday.
League sources told ESPN and the Los Angeles Times that Kuzma's contract is worth $40 million over three years. According to the outlets, the extension also includes a player option before the 2023-24 campaign.
"It is especially gratifying for our Lakers franchise to draft, develop and now sign one of our own to a contract extension," Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement Sunday. "Kyle has shown tremendous growth over the last three years, and played a crucial role on last season's championship team."
The 25-year-old Kuzma is competing for a starting job with the Lakers, who will begin their NBA title defense Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. He averaged a career-low 12.8 points per game in 61 contests (nine starts) last season.
In his first three NBA seasons, Kuzma started 114 games and averaged 16 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists. The Lakers selected him with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Kuzma made the All-NBA rookie first team in 2018. He averaged a career-best 18.7 points per game in his second season after the arrival of superstar LeBron James.
