The 2024 NBA trade deadline is in exactly five weeks. Zach LaVine and Pascal Siakam are two of the main stars who will be discussed as potential major pieces to be moved in the middle of the season. While he may not be an All-Star, Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma is yet another notable player who has suddenly appeared on the trade block leading up to the deadline.
The Wizards are just 6-27 this season entering Thursday, the third-worst record in the league in front of just the San Antonio Spurs (five wins) and Detroit Pistons (three wins). Although they re-signed Kuzma in the offseason on a new four-year, $90 million contract, Kuzma's immediate future is very much in question.
Given that they are struggling and in the midst of a rebuild, the Wizards are approaching the trade deadline with an open mind. This is why Washington is expected to make Kuzma available on the trade market, league sources told ClutchPoints. In doing so, the Wizards have set a high asking price of two first-round picks for their best player.
Kuzma is in the midst of a career year. Playing in all 33 games this season, the 28-year-old has averaged a career-high 22.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 35.7 percent from three-point range. Taking on the responsibilities of being a primary playmaker and scorer, Kuzma has proven that he can be a focal weapon for his team. This is one of the main reasons why he could wind up being the perfect addition for a playoff-contending team ahead of this year's trade deadline.
While they are not eager to trade him away, the Wizards are open to all offers coming their way. Could Kuzma end up in a different jersey this season? Here is a list of teams that have either shown interest in Kuzma previously or could make sense as possible trade suitors right now.
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers have been amongst a group of teams feeling out the market for what forwards could become available ahead of the trade deadline. In addition to having interest in Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, the Pacers have maintained a level of interest in Kuzma dating back to the offseason. Kuzma, who tends to play more on the perimeter as a power forward than in the post, is the ideal type of scoring talent for the Pacers to show interest in adding alongside of Tyrese Haliburton.
While they've had a handful of ups and downs this season, the Pacers are still very much alive to claim an outright playoff spot and potentially even host a first-round series. The Pacers are well ahead of schedule in terms of their retooling process, which is why it's time to go out and get Haliburton the necessary help he needs.
The general consensus around the league is that Indiana is going to be looking to add talent ahead of the deadline. As long as they are willing to part ways with some draft capital, which they have, and Buddy Hield, who is in the final year of his contract, the Pacers can add a significant upgrade out on the wing.
Sacramento Kings
Fresh off making their first playoff appearance in quite some time, the Sacramento Kings were exploring the realm of adding talent in free agency this past summer. Kuzma was one of the players who came up in connection to the Kings. While Sacramento never truly pursued the Wizards forward as an unrestricted free agent, he remains an intriguing player for them to consider in trade talks.
The Kings are currently 20-13 on the season despite going through an eight-game stretch where they have posted a 4-4 record. The identity of this Kings roster last season was built on offense, yet they rank just 13th in the league in offensive rating this year. Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter have both struggled to provide true offensive value to Sacramento, which is where Kuzma could come in handy.
The problem with pursuing Kuzma from the Kings' perspective is this move would likely result in them having to part ways with either Barnes or Huerter, two players who have been a part of this team's core. It is also a possibility that the Wizards would demand a youthful talent like Keegan Murray, a young, rising star Sacramento would be highly unlikely to part ways with. For a package of Huerter, Barnes, and a draft pick, Kuzma may be worth exploring for the Kings.
Los Angeles Lakers
Ah, yes, the weekly “who will the Los Angeles Lakers trade for today” column. Kuzma, who began his career with the Lakers, would obviously be a good fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. After all, he was the third-leading scorer on the team behind the two superstars when they won the 2020 NBA Finals in the bubble.
Whether or not Kuzma would actually want to go back to Los Angeles is the question we should be asking here, especially since they seemed to give up on him. Next to James and Davis, Kuzma would not be allowed to dictate the flow of the offense like he does right now with the Wizards. Also, he would once again be thrown under heavy criticism when his numbers do not reflect the player he was with Washington as a result of his lack of offensive opportunities.
Looking at scenarios from the Lakers' point of view, they have flexibility when it comes to moving contracts around with D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and Gabe Vincent. On the flip side of things, it's unlikely the Wizards would want to do business with Rob Pelinka and the Lakers due to Los Angeles not wanting to trade Austin Reaves or any of their future first-round picks they still own. If anything, Tyus Jones would be the more plausible target for the Lakers if they were to pursue a player on the Wizards.
Given all the problems the Lakers seem to be dealing with internally stemming from Darvin Ham's coaching decisions, the last thing this franchise needs to be focused on right now is Kuzma.
Houston Rockets
When he was a free agent, Kuzma was deemed as a target of the Houston Rockets, according to TNT and Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes. The idea of Kuzma joining the Rockets seemed to gain some real momentum, but he ultimately elected to re-sign with the Wizards. Still, the Rockets remain a team where Kuzma could fit in.
Nobody expected Houston to be 17-15 at this point in the season. The Rockets have looked like an actual playoff team at times this season and have a handful of young, emerging talents with Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, and Jabari Smith Jr. While unlikely due to the Rockets not wanting to rip apart their young core just yet, a deal revolving around Smith and Victor Oladipo's expiring contract would likely pique the Wizards' interest. Oh, and Kuzma seems to like what the Rockets have going right now, as he called Sengun the “next great center” last month.
Smith could be a focal point for the Wizards to build with moving forward, and it's likely they could net themselves a draft pick from the Rockets in exchange for taking on Oladipo's expiring contract. Does acquiring Kuzma truly put the Rockets in a better position to contend for a playoff spot both now and moving forward than keeping what they have? Perhaps slightly, but it's a little more reasonable to believe the Rockets will keep their youthful talents for now and instead search for ways to upgrade their roster by leveraging Oladipo's expiring $9.4 million contract.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies may just be the biggest sleeper team heading into the trade deadline. General manager Zach Kleiman has always maintained a level of aggression when it comes to altering his team's roster. He proved this over the summer when the Grizzlies added Marcus Smart and extended Desmond Bane's contract in favor of Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks. With Ja Morant back on the floor, the Grizzlies still have a path to the playoffs and being one of the better teams in the Western Conference.
If the Wizards are to even think about dealing Kuzma, they are going to need to be receiving key assets that set them up for future success. The Grizzlies have this kind of value through the handful of future first-round picks they own. Memphis also has Ziaire Williams, Jake LaRavia, David Roddy, and Santi Aldama as intriguing prospects to offer up. Williams would likely have to be included in a deal for Kuzma, as would one of Luke Kennard or Steven Adams for salary matching purposes.
Trading away Adams is not as crazy as it sounds for the Grizzlies even though he has been a steady producer in their frontcourt through the years. The fact of the matter is Adams is out the entire season and eating up a chunk of cap space that could be used right now to improve this team. The Grizzlies and Kleiman can certainly make this season's biggest splash by adding a talent like Kuzma next to Bane, Morant, and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Oklahoma City Thunder
What is Sam Presti thinking about doing with the Oklahoma City Thunder? The mastermind behind the Thunder's rebuild through the years always keeps his cards close to him, leaving the rest of the NBA guessing about what Oklahoma City's next move is. The Thunder are 23-10 right now, just one game back of the Minnesota Timberwolves for the top spot in the Western Conference. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing like a true MVP candidate, and this team looks like a real contending threat after recently defeating both the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics.
Whether or not the Thunder should tinker with their roster has been a hot topic of discussion around the league in recent weeks because of their newfound success. One area of weakness Oklahoma City still has lies out on the wing. Jalen Williams has been great next to Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort is the anchor of their defense, but what does the future hold for Josh Giddey? Giddey's secondary playmaking skills can be replicated, and he doesn't necessarily stand out as a real difference-maker in the Thunder's chances of actually competing for a title.
Giddey could be a focal point for the Wizards as they look to rebuild, as could Aleksej Pokusevki, who has not held a role for the Thunder in the final year of his contract. These two players on rookie deals, along with veteran Davis Bertans, could be moved for Kuzma and veteran center Mike Muscala in a deal that seems way too good to be true given how all the financials align perfectly. Have the Thunder throw in one of their thousands of draft picks and, all of a sudden, we have ourselves a really good trade for both sides.
Utah Jazz
It seems like the Utah Jazz have been linked to Kyle Kuzma since the trade deadline last season. Even before they acquired John Collins from the Atlanta Hawks, the Jazz have been taking a long look at Kuzma and his potential fit on their roster moving forward. Now, the Jazz seem to want to move Collins if possible and are open for business heading into the trade deadline.
Despite the mini heart attack the Jazz gave their fans against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night, Utah now sits at 16-19 on the season, within striking distance of the playoff picture. When Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, and their young core are healthy, the Jazz are a deep team that can put up a lot of points in a hurry. Swapping Collins for Kuzma makes sense for the Jazz, especially since this addition would give them more scoring production alongside Markkanen.
However, the Wizards would not really be benefiting from having Collins instead of Kuzma. Maybe a couple of draft picks would change their opinion, but Washington is going to need more value from Utah. Every Jazz player appears to be available for the right price at the moment, making Utah one of the more intriguing organizations to watch at the trade deadline.
Philadelphia 76ers
Technically, the Philadelphia 76ers made the first trade of the 2023-24 season when they dealt James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers after three games. The Sixers were able to bring in Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, KJ Martin, and Marcus Morris Sr. as a result of the Harden trade. Four expiring contracts, plus Tobias Harris' $39.2 million expiring contract, gives the Sixers a ton of options on how they want to build their roster around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Although they are wanting to bring in some more backcourt talent, Kuzma is a name worth mentioning in regards to Philadelphia. Daryl Morey could look like a genius by bringing in a contributor like Kuzma. He is athletic, he's a proven scorer on the wing, and the best part about trading for Kuzma is his declining salary over the length of his contract.
The problem here is the Sixers do not have a lot of assets that would pique Washington's interest. Morris, Batum, and/or Covington are just expiring contract that free up cap space in the eyes of the Wizards. The same can be said about De'Anthony Melton despite Melton being a younger backcourt option. If Philadelphia was to add any Wizards player, Danilo Gallinari may make the most sense since he is an experienced three-point shooting weapon in the final year of his contract and would fit into the Sixers' $6.8 million traded player exception stemming from the Harden deal.
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks have previously expressed interest in Kuzma. Outside of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavs are a big question mark when it comes to finding consistent offensive production. Kuzma said it himself in December, citing that Dallas is a “player away” from being a real threat. Was Kuzma dropping a hint that he could be the player the Mavs need?
Dallas has no cap flexibility and is even hard-capped as a result of executing a sign-and-trade for Grant Williams this past offseason, meaning their total taxable salaries can't exceed roughly $172 million. By pursuing Kuzma, Tim Hardaway Jr. would have to be moved, and it's also very likely that the Wizards would want a younger player like Josh Green on the wing. The Mavs could also send a first-round pick in 2026 or 2027 to Washington in a deal centered around Kuzma.
The idea of getting Doncic some more help has to be at the front of everyone's minds right now, because the Mavs can't compete for a title as they are constructed. However, with new ownership taking over, it is unknown if Dallas will actually want to get tied down to a long-term salary like Kuzma's. Nonetheless, he is exactly the type of scoring talent the Mavs need on the wing.
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