Kuzma could be a great addition to other teams, but the Wizards see him as more of a foundational player.
For the past few seasons, Washington Wizards Bradley Beal has consistently been one of the NBA’s hottest trade targets. After his supermax contract and no-trade clause however, another player has taken the spotlight, forward Kyle Kuzma.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Kuzma is a trade target by the Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns. In fact, the teams considered a deal last summer which may have involved John Collins (12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game) as the Atlanta player who comes to Washington. Charania also stated that Kuzma will not be easy to pick off, however where General Manager Tommy Sheppard viewed him as a “cornerstone.”
Kuzma is viewed as a trade target because he only make $13 million this season and could opt out for a larger deal next summer. He is averaging 20.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game and is almost definitely opting out for a contract that would pay him more. If Washington doesn’t want to pay Kuzma his next contract, it is likely in their best interest to trade him now because of the likelihood of him opting out.
Do you feel that the Wizards should trade Kuzma? And what do you think Sheppard and the front office would want in exchange for him? Let us know in the comments below.