Analyst Floats Wizards, Grizzles Trade Idea

Kyle Kuzma could be on the trade block for the Washington Wizards.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 14, 2024

Oct 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) defends against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) during the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

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Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards are expected to be one of the busier teams when trade season kicks off as many anticipate them being one of the league's top sellers.

The Wizards have a youth movement in place, and not every player on the roster fits the timeline for the team.

Among the players that could be traded is Kyle Kuzma, who was included in a mock trade by Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale. In the deal, Kuzma is dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies along with Patrick Baldwin Jr. for John Konchar, Marcus Smart, Vince Williams Jr., and a 2025 first-round pick.

"The Wizards always projected as sellers, but the electricity with which Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington, Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George are playing reinforces the merits of its youth movement. While Kuzma isn't standing in the way of anyone, per se, Washington doesn't need him to man the role of competent veteran," Favale writes. "Absorbing Smart's contract (one year, $21.6 million) shouldn't be an issue for the Wizards. His shot-making has to somewhat rebound once he's healthy, and he can still bring defensive heat. Scooping up an extra first and a Williams flier is worth it."

A deal like this is certainly in the neighborhood of what the Wizards should be looking for in Kuzma's market.

So far this season, Kuzma is averaging 17.2 points and 6.2 rebounds in just four appearances. He missed five games with a groin injury but returned for the team's loss on Monday against the Houston Rockets.

Kuzma will have to show a little more of a sample size to warrant interest in the trade market, but if he is featured more in the next few months, a deal like this isn't out of the realm of possibility.

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Published Nov 14, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.