The has been a lot of buzz surrounding Kyle Kuzma of late as the 27-year-old ponders his future with the Washington Wizards. Kuz has a player option on his current deal, which simply means that he could walk away as a free agent this offseason if he so chooses.
The Wizards are well aware of this fact, and for their part, it seems that the front office is already exploring the possibility of trading him instead of letting him leave in the summer for nothing. The Los Angeles Lakers have emerged as one of his possible destinations, with a reunion with former teammates LeBron James and Anthony Davis now becoming a real option for the former University of Utah standout. The Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings have all also been linked with him.
Kuzma knows that he has a big decision coming up–one that will have a significant impact on his future in the NBA. The 6-foot-9 forward recently revealed that he intends to decline his player option in order to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He also does not expect to sign an extension with the Wizards before that time (h/t Ava Wallace of The Washington Post).
“Those are just business decisions,” Kuzma said.
To be clear, however, this does not necessarily mean that Kyle Kuzma is leaving the Wizards. That is, of course, a very real possibility, but the fact that he won't be signing an extension now does not rule out the possibility of him signing a new deal with Washington this summer once he is a free agent. What is clear, however, is that Kuz wants a bigger payday than the $13 million he would get next season if he were to pick up his player option.
Based on what we've seen from him over the past couple of seasons, all indications are pointing toward the notion that he should be able to secure the bag this offseason.
“Last year really gave me a taste of how good I can really be in this league, and it gave me a lot of confidence, having that one stretch where everyone was out. I had to get to it every night, and I think that really helped me prepare my mentality for how I approached this year,” Kuzma said. “Because every night I know I’ve got to be ready to play at a high level to help give us a chance to win. That starts after games, that starts the morning of and the day before with how I eat, how I work out, how I recover.
“Those things, they all matter. And it’s probably why I’ve been so consistent this year. My motor’s been consistent every night.”
Kuz has put in the hard work over the years and now is finally time for him to reap the benefits.
Follow Us
Subscribe