The Washington Wizards made a big move on Monday when they decided to pull the trigger on a trade deal that saw Rui Hachimura make his way to the Los Angeles Lakers. In exchange, the Wizards received Kendrick Nunn and two future second-round picks. This trade wasn't just a straightforward swap of assets for the Wizards, though. There is some belief that Washington made this move as a precursor for their intention to sign Kyle Kuzma to an extension this summer. The Wizards needed to clear some cap room for Kuzma's new deal, and getting Hachimura off their books seemed to have been a step in this direction.
Regardless of Rui's departure, however, it's still very much possible that Kuzma sees his way to the door. According to an anonymous league executive, the 27-year-old could still want out of Washington:
“I’m told he’s talked with them about a trade if they don’t think things are going to work out there,” the exec told Steve Bulpett of heavy.com. “Guys there have told me he wants to be the main guy. Nobody has a problem with the kid’s work ethic. He works his a– off and he’s improved, but he thinks he’s the guy. So you could see something happen there.”
Kuzma's contract expires this summer and unless the Wizards sign him to an extension, he could walk away as an unrestricted free agent. This gives Washington the necessary motivation to try and cash in on him now while they still can — especially if they feel that Kyle Kuzma has no intention of putting pen to paper on a new deal.
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