The Washington Wizards (14-60) is fresh off having lost to one of the other bottom-tier teams in the NBA the Detroit Pistons (13-61) 96-87 on Friday night. Washington’s 2023-2024 campaign is nothing but dreadful, but as the season approaches its final weeks, it is time for the Wizards front office to decide who should stay and who should go after the season. Washington Wizards star forward Kyle Kuzma shouldn’t be on the team next season.
Why This Washington Wizards Star Shouldn’t Be On The Team Next Season
Kyle Kuzma’s Tenure As A Wizard
Kuzma arrived in the nation’s capital in 2021 after having helped the Los Angeles Lakers win the 2019-2020 NBA Championship. The former Laker was involved in a trade that sent former Wizards guard Russell Westbrook to Los Angeles in exchange. Kuzma became one of the Wizards top scoring options behind former Wizards stars Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis.
The former Utah Utes forward gradually became Washington’s first option due to Beal’s injuries that caused him to miss games. Beal played in only 90 out of 164 games (54%) across two seasons (’21-’22 and ’22-’23) when Kuzma was on the roster. Porzingis played in only 17 games for Washington in the 2021-2022 season (traded from Dallas at deadline), but logged in 65 games in 2022 (Kuzma played more minutes per game). Kuzma logged 64 games last season and averaged 21.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. The Wizards traded Beal and Porzingis at the end of the 2023 season and eventually inked a four-year, $102 million dollar extension with Kuzma.
Kuzma stands at six-foot-nine, 221 Ibs, and uses his size to be an effective and consistent scorer for Washington. Across three seasons with Washington, Kuzma averages 20.2 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting 45.4 percent from the field. Kuzma has led the Wizards in scoring this season and has been a solid contributor on defense. Since Kuzma is 6-foot-9 and the Wizards haven’t had solid paint presence since center Daniel Gafford was traded or Marvin Bagley III is out due to injury, he fills that role if needed.
The former first-round pick produces consistently and has been a bright, reliable asset for a bottom-of-the-barrel franchise, but does Kuzma fit what Washington is trying to build?
Why Kuzma Shouldn’t Be On The Roster Next Season
Kuzma is in the midst of the best campaign of his career this season by averaging 22.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. The former Lakers forward is on the books to make 25.5 million dollars this season and his play is definitely suitable for a contending team.
The 28-year-old forward was in heavy trade talks prior to the annual trade deadline in February, but his salary was likely too much for teams to take and he openly expressed his desire to stay in D.C. The Wizards could trade Kuzma to garner more assets in the form of a few future high-draft picks in the offseason when teams are more flexible. Despite Kuzma’s desire to stay in Washington, the Wizards outline back to relevancy should not include the former NBA champion.
Kuzma realistically is a third or fourth option on a championship contending team. As the lead man for Washington currently, the Wizards have 13 victories despite Kuzma having his best season, however, he doesn’t deserve all the blame for Washington’s poor season. The impact from Kuzma doesn’t exactly elevate the team, but his production is solid enough for a top-tier team that needs a consistent scorer to trade for him.
The Last Word
Washington currently has two first-round picks in the upcoming 2024 NBA draft due to having traded Gafford to the Dallas Mavericks. The second first-round pick held by Washington is protected due to the 2020 trade that sent former Wizards guard John Wall to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Westbrook. If Washington ends up with a top-12 pick in this years draft then the Wizards will keep the pick. The Wizards have secured a pick within this range based on Draft lottery odds.
The Wizards front office are gradually making active moves to usher in a new, and hopefully successful era of Washington basketball in the coming years. Kuzma is indeed a Wizards fan favorite due to his outgoing personality and colorful outfits, but it is time for the Wizards to bring its sinking ship from up under the water, and trading Kuzma will help that happen immensely.
