Cleveland Cavaliers Linked As Trade Partner For Wizards' Kyle Kuzma

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been linked as a possible trade partner for Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma.

Mar 29, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) looks on during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Capital One Arena. / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

While the Cleveland Cavaliers have had a very quiet NBA offseason, there is a chance that they could make a lot of noise at some point before the trade deadline.

Koby Altman and the front office decided to run things back for the most part. The team is banking on young point guard Darius Garland and young forward Evan Mobley taking the next step. If those players are unable to do so, the Cavaliers could consider pursuing a sizable trade.

Keeping that in mind, an intriguing name was put forward as a potential trade candidate for Cleveland.

Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma was recently named as a possible trade target.

In an article on King James Gospel looking at seven players the Cavaliers could target to replace Garland, Kuzma's name was brought up.

"Kuzma played an off-ball role for the Lakers during their 2020 championship run. The 6’9 forward can get buckets, rebound, and defend multiple positions. He shot over 36 percent from 3-point range in 2021, and his percentage should be average or better with more catch-and-shoot opportunities. The Cavaliers need a wing to round out their roster and may struggle to find anyone better than Kyle Kuzma on the trade market."

Replacing a point guard with a forward seems like a weird concept. However, this would allow Cleveland to put the ball in Donovan Mitchell's hands much more. He would basically become the team's point guard.

Kuzma would certainly be an intriguing addition. His scoring ability would help take some pressure off of Mitchell.

During the 2023-24 NBA season with the Wizards, Kuzma ended up playing in 70 games. He averaged 22.2 points per game to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists. In addition to his averages, he shot 46.3 percent from the floor and 33.6 percent from the three-point line.

Those numbers would give the Cavaliers the kind of scoring punch that they need.

At 29 years old, Kuzma has two years left on his deal following the upcoming season. He would be a nice long-term pickup for Cleveland and could help the team take the next step when it comes to contending in the Eastern Conference.

Of course, this is just an idea. No reports have connected the Cavaliers and Kuzma. But, it's an interesting thought and could make sense.