The Washington Wizards and the Los Angeles Lakers rocked the NBA world on Monday after announcing a trade that will see fourth-year power forward Rui Hachimura take his talents from D.C. to Hollywood. The deal took more than a few folks by surprise, but by the looks of it, the trade appears to be a win-win scenario for all parties involved. The Wizards, in particular, appear to have now set the stage for a much-anticipated extension for Kyle Kuzma.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Washington now has “increasing confidence” in signing Kuzma to a new contract now that Hachimura is out of the picture. Kuz currently has two more years remaining on his deal, which also has a player option for next season. This simply means that unless the Wizards are able to sign him to an extension soon, the 27-year-old could walk away in the summer for nothing.
Kuzma has been balling out this year for the Wizards, and there's no denying that he's increased his stock significantly. For their part, the Wizards will need to give him a substantial pay hike (Kuzma is currently earning $13 million per year) if they want to retain their services. The fact that they've cleared Hachimura from their books, who himself is going to be a free agent this summer as well, means that they will have more salary cap flexibility to sign Kuzma to a big-money deal.
It is worth noting, however, that nothing is still guaranteed at this point. The ball is still in Kyle Kuzma's court, and he could still decide to test his value in free agency. It sounds like he's happy in Washington at the moment, but then again, you just never know.
Follow Us
Subscribe