Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma is a player to keep an eye on ahead of the NBA trade deadline in a few weeks. They are a team that will almost assuredly make a move sooner than later, what kind of move that is remains up for debate.
Currently 18-26, the Wizards are two games out of the final spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament, which is currently held by the Chicago Bulls. Their trio of Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kuzma has played only 21 games together this season, going 9-12 in that time.
When those three are on the court together Washington is a dangerous team, at least defensively. They are the only trio averaging 21+ points per game in the NBA, but if the wins don’t start piling up, changes could be on the horizon.
Out of the three, most trade rumors have centered around Kuzma. He has a player option for the 2023-24 season that he is almost guaranteed to decline, which plays a part in what direction the Wizards go.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards & Indiana Pacers Updates
Trading him away would be punting a bit on this season, but getting value for him now would outweigh the possibility of him departing in the summer for nothing. It has been rumored that Kyle Kuzma will look to leave in free agency, so Washington could expedite that process and get some assets in return.
One possible target could be the Indiana Pacers. They look to be ahead of schedule in their rebuild as they are 23-22. A four-game losing streak has knocked them back down to Earth a bit, but they could look to make an upgrade ahead of the deadline.
If that occurs, power forward is the position they are most looking to upgrade. Kyle Kuzma would be a nice addition to that spot, providing more offensive punch for a team that is currently 16th in the NBA in offensive rating.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards & Indiana Pacers Updates
Averaging a career-high 21.6 points per game, the Utah product would provide the team with a much-needed boost in the frontcourt. Indiana also has plenty of assets to build a strong trade package around and could add to that treasure trove should they opt to trade away someone such as Myles Turner.
