Just a few months after signing a 4-year, $90 million contract, Kyle Kuzma‘s name has been mentioned heavily in rumors ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. However, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Washington Wizards may keep the forward despite there being real interest in him:
“Washington has been very reticent with Kyle Kuzma,” said Adrian Wojnarowski on his podcast. “People are calling them. Teams tell me they call them and they’re not getting counters from Washington. If you want to register an offer for Kuzma, fine, you can do it. But they’re not at the point now where it seems like they’re really active in maybe seriously trying to move him. It could change by the deadline, but I know Michael Winger and Will Dawkins like Kuzma, like having him there. I think they’ll be particular about what they might do.”
Washington’s leading scorer has made a case for an All-Star selection this season. In his second season with the Wizards, Kuzma is averaging 21.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. Additionally, Kuzma is shooting 45.5% from the field and 34.4% from the three-point line.
The Washington Wizards currently own a 7-36 record, second-worst in the NBA.
NBA Rumors: Washington Wizards May Keep Top Trade Candidate
The Wizards’ Asking Price
According to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, the Wizards are looking for “two first-round picks or equivalent value” for the 28-year-old:
League sources peg Kuzma’s current price tag to be something in the vein of two first-round picks or equivalent value. I’m skeptical another team will meet that price, so we’ll see if the Wizards have any wiggle room or if the marketplace substantially changes before February. Kuzma will likely maintain his value going into the summer, so the Wizards can be patient.
This may seem like a steep price. However, Kuzma is even more intriguing for teams looking for wing help after the Toronto Raptors traded two-time All-Star Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers.
Teams Interested in Kyle Kuzma
So far, the team most heavily linked to Kuzma is the Dallas Mavericks. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Mavericks have also been linked to Portland Trail Blazers wing, Jerami Grant. Additionally, Dallas had interest in Siakam before his trade to Indiana:
Dallas attempted to acquire Bojan Bogdanovic at last year’s trade deadline and turned to Pascal Siakam recently before Indiana acquired him.
The Mavericks have kept tabs on Jerami Grant in Portland, league sources told HoopsHype. Perhaps Kyle Kuzma could be added to this list in the coming weeks.
The 24-20 Mavericks currently rank as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. It would make sense for Dallas to look into adding a scoring wing to team up with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving.
.@kylekuzma in the win last night:
26 PTS | 8 REB | 4 3PM
⭐️ Vote All-Star: https://t.co/1eOJxr7r9V pic.twitter.com/87p4oMomGT
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) December 30, 2023
Another team that may have interest in adding Kuzma is the Sacramento Kings. Like the Mavericks, the Kings sit in the middle of the Western Conference with a 24-18 record and own the No. 7 seed. The Kings may likely be looking for an upgrade over Harrison Barnes, who is averaging just 11.1 points per game this season.