The 2022-23 NBA season is going pretty much the way many people thought it would for the Washington Wizards. There was some potential for the Wizards to make noise this season but they were going to need a lot to go their way. Thus far, that hasn’t been the case.
Bradley Beal has missed 10 games and counting, which certainly puts them behind the eight-ball. Washington has gone 7-11 with Beal in the lineup and 4-5 without him. The offseason trade with the Denver Nuggets, as the Wizards traded Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith west in exchange for Will Barton and Monte Morris, hasn’t panned out.
Morris remains a steady point guard, running the offense and protecting the ball. However, Barton is not providing the kind of impact on the wing that Washington had hoped for. That has put a lot of pressure on Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma to pick up all the slack.
Porzingis is playing at the level he did when he made the All-Star team with the New York Knicks during the 2017-18 season. He is averaging 22.6 points per game, which is 0.1 short of his career-high, to go along with 8.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 blocks. Most importantly, he has stayed healthy thus far, playing in 27 out of 28 games.
Kuzma is also in the midst of a career season, averaging 21.3 points per game to go along with 7.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists. He is hoping to parlay that into a lucrative, long-term contract next offseason as he has a player option for the 2023-24 season. However, if he has his way, it won’t be with the Wizards.
As shared by Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, Kuzma reportedly has his eyes set on playing elsewhere, whether it is via trade this season or as a free agent.
“Teams are waiting to see if the Washington Wizards will trade Kyle Kuzma, who can opt-out of his contract after the season. An NBA source previously told Bleacher Report that Kuzma “wants out” and is looking to join a larger market or championship contender willing to pay him over $20 million a season.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyle Kuzma & Washington Wizards Updates
The Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks were mentioned as possible landing spots for Kuzma. However, it is unclear what kind of compensation the Wizards would be looking for in return for him.
Would Washington be focused on bringing back draft compensation, or would they seek salary relief and young players? The Wizards are capped out, so if they can bring in cheap, affordable talent, they likely wouldn’t pass on that opportunity.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyle Kuzma & Washington Wizards Updates
Also, there has been no indication that the Wizards want to move on from Kuzma. He is a key part of their rotation and it would be easy for the franchise to talk themselves into being capable of making a run at the postseason as they are only two games out of the NBA Play-In Tournament currently.
