The Washington Wizards reportedly had a chance to trade veteran forward Kyle Kuzma to the Dallas Mavericks at this season’s trade deadline in exchange for fellow forward Grant Williams and an unprotected first-round pick.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania, such a deal might have included another player or two for salary purposes, but Kuzma, Williams and the draft pick would have evidently headlined the swap.
The Wizards reportedly brought the situation to Kuzma, who wanted to stay put. The deal never came to life.
"The Wizards did have an option to trade Kyle Kuzma at the deadline to the Mavericks for Grant Williams and an unprotected first round pick…Kyle Kuzma decided to stay loyal, he wanted to remain and stick it out with the Wizards."@ShamsCharania on Kyle Kuzma and the Washington… pic.twitter.com/48zvU50qfw
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 5, 2024
Williams was ultimately traded anyway, with the Mavericks sending him to the Charlotte Hornets before the deadline. For what it’s worth, he has been playing well since joining the Hornets, averaging 14.2 points per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from deep.
It seems like Kuzma’s desire to stick around played a major role in the deal falling through. The 28-year-old is in his third season with the Wizards, and he’s currently under contract through the 2026-27 campaign.
Kuzma is averaging 22.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game this season while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from deep.
Unfortunately, the Wizards are enduring a difficult campaign, as the team has the worst record in the entire league at 9-52. Washington is currently on a 15-game losing streak, to make matters worse.
It will be interesting to see if Kuzma remains with the Wizards for the duration of his contract. While he already won an NBA title in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers, he may need to find a new home if he wants to win another ring during his prime years.
Joining the Mavs would have given him a chance to make some noise for a solid team, as Dallas has some talented pieces and is 34-27 this season. But he opted against the chance, a decision that may indicate how much love he has for the Wizards.
Hopefully for Kuzma and Washington, the team’s losing streak won’t last much longer. The squad will face the Orlando Magic on Wednesday and Hornets on Friday in hopes of finally earning a victory. Both games will be at home.
