Trade Proposal Sends Wizards’ Kyle Kuzma To Kings

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade idea between the Kings and Wizards:

The Trade: Trey Lyles, Sasha Vezenkov, Chris Duarte and a 2029 first-round pick for Kyle Kuzma

The Kings were interested in acquiring Kuzma this season at the trade deadline.

According to NBA insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Kuzma is expected to be coveted again on the trade market by rival teams heading into the 2024 NBA Draft. 

“He might even be good enough to start over Harrison Barnes,” Bailey wrote. “And the Kings have two expiring contracts in Trey Lyles and Chris Duarte and effectively a third with Sasha Vezenkov (who’s on a team option for 2025-26) to offer the Wizards for him. That alone brings the Wizards loads of financial flexibility. Kuzma is on a reasonable deal, but it runs through 2026-27, when he’s set to make $19.4 million.

“Getting out from under that and eventually adding a first-round pick makes this a reasonable haul for a soon-to-be-29-year-old volume scorer who’s never had an above-average true shooting percentage.”

Kuzma averaged 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Wizards this season while shooting 46.3% from the field, 33.6% from beyond the arc and 77.5% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $23.5 million next season. 

The Kings and Wizards missed the playoffs this year. Sacramento went 46-36, while Washington went 15-67. 

Kuzma has career averages of 17.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists with the Los Angeles Lakers and Kings. He won the 2020 NBA championship with the Lakers. 

The Wizards hold the No. 2 and 26 picks in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft and will look to acquire another first-round pick, per Scotto.

Kuzma, who turns 29 in July, is better suited to play for a playoff team.

Washington isn’t close to being a postseason squad, while Sacramento was one win away in the play-in tournament from making the playoffs this year.