Kyle Kuzma has already said he will become a free agent this summer. The reason is simple: Kuzma has a player option for $13 million next season, however, on the open market he will make well above $20 million a season and likely closer to $25 million per year on a four-or-five year contract.
The Wizards are the only team that can offer that fifth year — and larger raises as well — but there is a sense Kuzma wants out of Washington, which is why Kuzma’s name comes up in trade talk. Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard has to consider trading Kuzma rather than lose him for nothing, and the trade speculation around him continues to grow. The latest comes from Marc Stein in his latest newsletter.
There are already reports of the Lakers, Hawks and Suns having interest, but you can be sure a lot more teams than that are calling Washington right now. Kuzma is a 20-point-a-game two-way wing and those are highly valued players around the league.
Kuzma has some leverage in where he gets traded because he will be a free agent — if his representatives let a team know he will not re-sign with them this summer, teams won’t be willing to give up as much in a trade.
Kuzma is suddenly joining Jae Crowder and John Collins on the “most likely to be traded” at the deadline list. And in a market with far more buyers than sellers the Wizards, along with the few teams trading guys, could see a better-than-expected return.
