Bold Trade Proposal Sends Wizards' Kyle Kuzma to Kings

Could the Kings pry the talented wing from the Wizards?

The Sacramento Kings took down the Washington Wizards 143-131 on Monday night as the Kings extended their hot streak, winning three consecutive games and 14 of their last 19. 

The Kings were led by their big three of De'Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Keegan Murray, combining for 83 points, 23 rebounds, and 22 assists. Sabonis tallied his third triple-double of the season, Fox recorded his 10th 30-point game of the year, and Murray has now scored 72 points through his last two games.

The Kings' future is clear as they build around their young trio, but are they ready to contend for a championship? Could a fourth option take them to the next level? On the other end of the court, Wizards' Kyle Kuzma had 27 points and eight rebounds, as Sacramento fans could have been watching a future King.

The Kings were rumored to be interested in signing Kuzma as a free agent in the off-season, but what would it take to get the talented wing now? Here is a hypothetical deal to get Kuzma to Sacramento:

Sacramento Kings receive: Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr.

Washington Wizards receive: Harrison Barnes, Davion Mitchell, Chris Duarte, Kessler Edwards, 2028 first-round pick

As a four-win team, the Wizards' future is blurry. Kuzma, 28, is on a four-year deal worth $90 million, but does Washington's future rely on Kuzma? If the Wizards can get off Kuzma for added depth, they have more flexibility to build around Jordan Poole, Deni Avdija, and Bilal Coulibaly. 

While they are talented players, Mitchell and Duarte have slowly faded out of the Kings rotation. If the Wizards want to start winning games this season, improving their depth would be the first move. While their goal at this point of the season should be to get a high 2024 draft pick, getting rid of their leading scorer could be a casualty.

While the direction of Washington's franchise is unknown, the Wizards could be hesitant to trade away Kuzma for no significant upgrade. The 28-year-old does not fit their timeline, and the Kings could be willing to throw away some of their depth to upgrade their starting lineup.

The Kings throwing in some draft capital is necessary, giving the Wizards an incentive to trade away their best player. Even if the Kings would need to include another first-round pick instead of Edwards, the deal could likely still get done.

Sacramento's starting lineup of Fox, Kevin Huerter, Murray, Kuzma, and Sabonis would push the Kings further into championship contention. Washingoton's new Kuzma-less lineup would look worse on paper, but the franchise's future could be in better hands.

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