Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma was recently asked about the various trade rumors ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. After the trade deadline last season, Kuzma announced that he refused a trade that would’ve sent him to the Dallas Mavericks.
Wizards Trade Rumors: Kyle Kuzma, Washington’s Front Office Haven’t Talked About Potential Trade
Kuzma revealed that information to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins. He said Wizards president Michael Winger presented him with the trade offer. However, Kuzma turned it down because he didn’t view the Mavericks as a championship contender.
A couple of months after that conversation, the Mavs advanced to the NBA Finals, where they lost in five games to the Boston Celtics. Now, another trade deadline is quickly approaching.
Last year, Kyle Kuzma didn’t want to be traded.
This year, his answer might be different.
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— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) January 20, 2025
“We’ll see how it goes. I don’t know,” Kuzma said via The Athletic. “I think last year was the right time [to stay] after signing the deal. That was kind of more of a last year thing.”
“We haven’t had conversations [with Wizards management]. I haven’t even talked about the deadline, haven’t talked about getting traded. So, this is really the first time I’m really talking about it.”
Kuzma Is Averaging 14.4 Points, 5.3 Rebounds While Shooting A Career-low 24.7% From 3-Point Range
Kuzma could be a valuable trade chip for the Washington Wizards at the deadline. At 6-foot-9, he has the size to defend multiple positions and play either forward spot. The Utah product has also been a focal point of the Wizards’ offense over the last few seasons.
In the 2023-24 season, he averaged a career-high 22.2 points, along with 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 32.6 minutes per contest in 70 games (all starts). Plus, he shot career bests of 46.3% from the field and 77.5% at the free throw line and 33.6% from 3-point range.
Through 24 games (22 starts) this season, Kuzma has averaged 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 27.4 minutes per contest while shooting 42.5% from the floor and career lows of 25.7% from beyond the arc and 60.6% at the foul line.
According to Spotrac, Kuzma is in the second season of a four-year, $90 million contract. His deal includes a 15% trade bonus and $12 million in total incentives. He’s earning $23.52 million this campaign.
Because of his contract and recent lackluster performances, the Wizards might not be able to trade Kuzma before the deadline. After holding out for two first-round picks last year for the former first-rounder, Washington will now have a difficult time even receiving one in a trade.
