The Wizards have informed teams with interest in Kyle Kuzma that they intend to hang onto the veteran forward through Thursday’s deadline, reports Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Kuzma’s name surfaced frequently in trade rumors in recent weeks because the Wizards are one of the worst teams in the NBA and several playoff contenders, including Dallas and Sacramento, have been scouring the market for a power forward. However, Washington’s asking price was said to be high, with the club reportedly seeking multiple first-round picks.
Additionally, there’s no urgency for the Wizards to do anything with Kuzma at this point, since he’s in the first season a four-year contract he signed last summer.
That deal has a declining salary structure, so even though the 28-year-old is earning $25.6MM this season, his cap hit will dip to $19.4MM by 2026/27, potentially making him an even more appealing trade target down the road.
As Stein reported earlier today, Kuzma also hasn’t sought a change of scenery, having expressed a preference to remain in D.C. for the time being. That stance factored into the Wizards’ reluctance to move him, Stein notes.
Although the Wizards have the NBA’s second-worst record (9-41), Kuzma has been having perhaps his best season as a pro, averaging new career bests in points (21.9) and assists (4.2) per game, with a 45.5% field goal percentage that’s just off his career high.
The Mavericks, the team that had been most frequently linked to Kuzma, is believed to have pivoted to Hornets forward P.J. Washington.