Re-Evaluating Kyle Kuzma’s Value
Kyle Kuzma may yet to become an NBA All-Star but that could change this year given how well he’s started 2022-23 with the Washington Wizards.
Since being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers as the 27th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Kyle Kuzma has been averaging 16 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 34% three-point shooting in his career thus far.
He spent most of his time with the Lakers coming off the bench but helped the LeBron James-led squad win the 2020 NBA championship inside the Orlando bubble.
Then, the Lakers sent Kuzma to Washington as part of the Russell Westbrook trade.
That’s when Kuzma’s numbers started to reach new heights.
A Full-Time Starter
In four seasons wearing the Purple and Gold uniform, Kyle Kuzma only started 146 games. In two seasons in Washington, Kuzma already has 95 starts and counting as he’s been part of the team’s opening lineup in every game he’s dressed.
During the 2021-2022 season, Kuzma averaged 17.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.9 blocks, and 0.6 steals in 33.4 minutes per game. Those numbers went up to 21.5 points on top of 7.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 46.4% field goal shooting this season in a little over 35 minutes a night.
Unfortunately, the Wizards are currently 12-21 and have dropped 9 of their last 10 contests. It also doesn’t help that Bradley Beal has been hampered by a variety of injuries throughout the campaign either.
Beal is averaging 23.7 points, 5.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 52.2% field goal shooting in 21 games this season. With their highest paid player watching from the sidelines, Kuzma has flourished with the ball in his hands more often in DC.
Kuzma Could Return to LA
Kuzma can become a free agent next year should he choose to decline his player option for 2023-24. The 27 year old recently told The Washington Post he intends to enter free agency instead of signing a contract extension in order to fully gauge the market for his services. With this revelation, it’s almost inevitable that Kuzma will be traded before the February deadline.
Keep in mind that Washington could still offer Kuzma a four-year deal that would earn the Utah alum up to $17.5M dollars per season, but given their on court performance and an extremely deep draft class this year, that seems unlikely.
Thanks to the increase in his production, it’s no surprise Kuzma is drawing interest from other teams. Unsurprisingly, one of those teams happens to be the Los Angeles Lakers, who have been trying to shake things up after a 0-5 start. However, Kuzma made it clear he won’t push the Wizards to trade him back to Hollywood.
“I definitely could lobby (for a trade). But, that’s very immature,” he said recently.
Either way, the Wizards are in a tricky situation. They’re outside of the playoff picture. Bradley Beal is nursing several bumps and bruises. And Kuzma intends to enter free agency next year barring a godfather offer from the front office.
Now, a trade to the Lakers is far from a slam dunk. The Lakers don’t truly have enough tradable assets to initiate a negotiation. On the other hand, if Washington is willing to play the long game, then they could look at acquiring some of the Lakers first rounders 5+ years from now.
Not to be outdone however, both the Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks are rumoured to have inquired about Kuzma’s availability in recent weeks as well. Although Washington initially rebuffed their offers, they’re likely just positioning themselves for a larger ask in 2023.
Kuzma is playing arguably the best basketball of his career at the moment. While he may not ultimately get selected, he’s at least playing like an All-Star to kick off the season.
But with a team friendly $13M contract, Washington may find themselves with a plethora of suitors vying for his services in the new year.
-Iggy Gonzalez
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.