The Washington Wizards hit the reset button in the offseason, trading away Monte Morris, Kristaps Porzingis, and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal. After acquiring Jordan Poole from the Golden State Warriors in a trade involving Chris Paul and inking Kyle Kuzma to a four-year, $90 million contract in free agency, the Wizards entered the 2023-24 NBA season as one of the few rebuilding franchises. Team president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins have kept their focus solely on the long-term success of the organization, leading to discussions about Kuzma's immediate future.
Currently in his seventh season in the league, Kuzma is having the best year of his career. Averaging 23.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor and 35.7 percent from deep, the 28-year-old has been Washington's best player through 32 games this season. With the NBA trade deadline just five weeks out, the Wizards are expected to make Kuzma available in trade discussions, league sources told ClutchPoints.
Not much was expected from the Wizards this season. One of the younger teams in the league, head coach Wes Unseld Jr. was handed an assortment of inexperienced and veteran players, most of whom need to prove that they belong in the team's plans moving forward. Kuzma was a player the Wizards believed in when they first acquired him in 2021. Since then, he has seen his value and scoring production increase.
Alongside Poole, Kuzma has expanded his offensive arsenal, taking on more responsibilities as a primary playmaker and facilitator for the Wizards' offense. Various playoff-contending teams are examining the trade market for versatile forwards, none more than the Indiana Pacers. Along with having interest in Toronto Raptors All-Star Pascal Siakam, the Pacers have maintained a level of interest in Kuzma dating back to the offseason. Tyrese Haliburton's emergence as one of the best point guards in the league has also given Indiana a reason to be buyers at the trade deadline.
The Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets all showed interest in Kuzma during free agency, sources said, with the Memphis Grizzlies also being an intriguing team to watch heading into the trade deadline. The Grizzlies were a team interested in adding a forward over the summer and had previously expressed trade interest in OG Anunoby, who is now with the New York Knicks. While not necessarily primary suitors for Kuzma at the moment, teams around the league are also expecting the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder to be buyers at the deadline. Both the Sixers and Thunder could benefit from bringing in another high-level scoring option.
Amid his success this season, the Wizards are not eagerly looking to trade Kuzma, sources said. Other than rookie Bilal Coulibaly, the Wizards are expected to show a level of willingness for any trade offers that come their way, evaluating all of their options in the process. Winger and the front office are looking to collect draft assets, hence their high asking price for their best player.
Kyle Kuzma available… for the right price
When the Wizards acquired Kuzma from the Los Angeles Lakers in a multi-team trade that involved former MVP Russell Westbrook, he was nothing more than a sturdy role player who played an integral part in the Lakers' championship run in 2019. Now, Kuzma has solidified himself as a focal point for Washington and a player who can command an offense. A high asking price has already been set for teams showing interest in the Wizards forward.
Of teams that have inquired about Kuzma this season, the Wizards have made it known that they are looking to receive multiple first-round picks, league sources told ClutchPoints. This does not necessarily mean that Washington will receive these kinds of offers for Kuzma over the next few weeks.
The NBA is a copycat league, especially when it comes to the trade market. The recent trade involving Anunoby and the Knicks will be used as a blueprint for value across the NBA. The Raptors were able to move Anunoby to New York for RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and the Detroit Pistons' 2024 second-round pick, which will end up acting as a late first-round pick given its value.
If they were to move on from Kuzma, the Wizards would expect similar values to present themselves. It is unlikely that the team would send an unprotected first-round pick to Washington in a deal for Kuzma. Instead, said draft picks would likely come with protections and would likely be angled toward the end of the first round, that is if the Wizards were to reach a deal with a playoff-contending team. There is also a chance that Washington's initial asking price could be met based on any players they would be receiving in a trade.
As things stand with the Wizards having six wins on the season, they are operating under the mindset of being approachable on the trade market. Kuzma is available for the right price and the Wizards will be willing to trade him if their asking price is met, as is the case with many teams and their talent ahead of the trade deadline. Trade talks involving Kuzma have not extended past initial inquiries, sources said.
In addition to Kuzma's name hitting the trade block, Wizards guard Tyus Jones has also been on contending team's radars in recent weeks.
Tyus Jones' trade market
Tyus Jones has been one of the best backup point guards in the NBA over the last few seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies. Although the Grizzlies did not want to give up Jones, they were forced to sacrifice his salary to acquire former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart this offseason. As a result, Jones found his way to the Wizards in the final year of his contract.
Set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer and having the best year of his career as a starter for Washington, Jones has already begun to generate a lot of buzz on the trade market. In fact, the 27-year-old guard is expected to garner more interest in trade talks leading up to the deadline than Kuzma, league sources told ClutchPoints. The Wizards are willing to move Jones and the remaining $14 million on his contract this season, making him one of the better guards available.
Through 32 games this season, Tyus has averaged career-highs in points (12.6), assists (5.5), and rebounds (3.0), while shooting a career-best 42.5 percent from three-point range. A reliable facilitator who has averaged less than one turnover per game throughout his career, Jones is going to draw the attention of several contending teams. The Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, and New Orleans Pelicans are four teams that have interest in adding backcourt depth ahead of the deadline, sources said. Could Jones be on the radar for any of these teams?
With Tyrese Maxey taking on the main point guard role and the Sixers in contention at the top of the Eastern Conference, Philadelphia may not want to bring in another featured guard to take the ball out of Maxey's hands. Then again, Jones opens up the floor for a team like the 76ers, allowing Maxey to play a little bit more off the ball. For the Heat, veteran guard Kyle Lowry is in the final year of his contract and Miami has lacked backcourt production outside of Tyler Herro, when he has been available.
The Pelicans and Rockets are both in similar positions in the Western Conference. New Orleans would benefit from having a key veteran such as Jones in their rotation next to CJ McCollum. The same can be said about the Rockets with Fred VanVleet, as Jones would give the Rockets and head coach Ime Udoka yet another reliable veteran to facilitate the offense.
Out of all the players on the Wizards' roster, Jones appears to be the most likely to be dealt. Whether or not he would continue to be a starter on a new team if traded remains to be seen.
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