
Kyle Kuzma is navigating uncertainty about his future with the Washington Wizards, as the team has not yet approached him regarding a potential trade this season.
Last year, Kuzma declined the opportunity to join the Dallas Mavericks, who later advanced to the NBA Finals, but he remains undecided about how he might handle a similar situation now.
“We’ll see how it goes. I don’t know,” Kuzma said. “We haven’t had conversations, haven’t even talked about the deadline, haven’t talked about getting traded.”
The Wizards are enduring a difficult season, currently holding the league’s worst record at 6-35 following a 10-game losing streak.
Kuzma, who still has two years left on his contract, could fetch a valuable return for a franchise looking to prioritize future assets.
At 29, Kuzma offers trade value as a versatile 6’10” defender who has championship experience with the Lakers and a contract that declines in value over the next two seasons.
However, Kuzma has struggled this season, largely due to injuries.
Limited to just 24 games, he is averaging 14.4 points per game, a significant drop from his 22.2 PPG last year, and his shooting percentages are at career lows: 42.5% from the field and 25.7% from beyond the arc.
Injuries to his groin and ribs have disrupted his rhythm, a challenge Kuzma openly acknowledged.
“It’s the first time in my career I’ve been hurt like this. I think it was frustrating at a certain point in time early on … but I’ve gotten over that. Kinda just here, playing game by game, trying to stay in the moment.”
Wizards head coach Brian Keefe attributed Kuzma’s struggles to the interruptions caused by injuries.
“He had gotten some good momentum early and then he got hurt in the [Nov. 30] Atlanta game. And then he was building some momentum and he got hurt again. And then he missed almost a whole month,” Keefe explained.
“It’s just been choppy. But when he’s played, he’s been efficient, doing the things that we ask.”
This inconsistency was evident over the weekend. Kuzma had one of his strongest performances of the season on Saturday, scoring 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting against the Warriors.
But on Sunday, he followed it with a tough outing against the Kings, managing just 13 points while shooting 3-of-15 from the field and 1-of-7 from three-point range.
Despite these challenges, Kuzma’s role as a key contributor to Washington’s offense remains a focal point.
Some suggest he might be more effective in a complementary role, similar to his time with the Lakers during their 2020 championship run.
For now, though, Kuzma is focusing on the present and taking things one game at a time.
Kyle Kuzma Says Wizards Haven't Approached Him About A Trade https://t.co/LiaEpj278k pic.twitter.com/Hkfvs8oLK2
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) January 20, 2025