Kyle Kuzma Trade Rumors: Wizards Not Looking to Make Deal Despite Fielding Calls
The Washington Wizards aren't looking to move Kyle Kuzma despite the veteran forward garnering outside interest ahead of the Feb. 8 NBA trade deadline, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
"People are calling them," he said. "Teams tell me they call them and they're not getting counters from Washington. If you want to register an offer for Kuzma, fine, you can do it. But they're not at the point now where it seems like they're really active in maybe seriously trying to move him."
The Wizards certainly profile as sellers at the deadline. They have the second-worst record in the league (7-35), and their rebuild is only just getting started after they traded Bradley Beal ahead of the season.
In Kuzma, the front office has a trade asset it can flip to continue building a long-term foundation. Based on Wojnarowski's report and an earlier story from NBA insider Marc Stein, the team is in no rush to do that.
Stein reported last Sunday the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks have Kuzma on their radar. Washington, though, is looking to get back "at least" two first-round picks.
"And the implication is they will be seeking higher quality picks than Toronto received from Indiana in the [Pascal] Siakam trade; two of the three future first-rounders sent to the Raptors by Indiana are from the oft-maligned 2024 draft this June," he added.
Kuzma's contract gives the Wizards some time to wait. He's only in the first year of his four-year, $90 million deal, and his annual salary steadily descends until he's due to collect $19.4 million in 2026-27.
General manager Will Dawkins doesn't need to rush into a trade.
There's always a chance a team becomes desperate in the middle of the season and tables an offer that goes above and beyond. Waiting until the offseason may, however, allow the Wizards to maximize their return for Kuzma if they're more prepared to entertain calls.
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