Could Wizards Change Tune, Keep Kyle Kuzma?

Kyle Kuzma may still be with the Washington Wizards after the trade deadline.

Jeremy Brener | Jan 30, 2025

Jan 29, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) drives to the basket as Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) defends in the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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Washington Wizards

Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has been a hot name on the trade market over the past few weeks.

His name has intensified in talks after he made comments last week suggesting he wasn't aligning with the Wizards' current setup.

“I think today I just decided to be myself and not really just try to fit into everything that we’re doing here, and just really played in the moment," Kuzma said via The Athletic insider Josh Robbins after the team lost to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.

“I mean just not trying to fit into what we’re trying to do here. Just being more assertive, demanding the ball, not just going out there and trying to let people develop. Just playing my game.”

Now, Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale thinks that those comments may have actually hurt Kuzma's trade value and believes there's a world where the Wizards actually keep him around.

"Last year's version of Kuzma would headline this season's list, but injuries and spotty play have torpedoed his value," Favale writes.

"His recent comments about being more aggressive rather than letting people develop could expedite his exit, but are the Washington Wizards prepared to ship him out without getting back more than a "blah" first, if teams even give up that much?," he continued.

Kuzma is having his worst season to date with the Wizards, averaging just 14.3 points per game after back-to-back seasons of over 20+, so teams interested in trading for him likely won't have him as more than a backup.

Unless teams would start Kuzma, why would they trade anything more than a first-round pick? The Wizards may opt to wait before trading Kuzma down the line in hopes of his value and need increasing around the league.

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Published Jan 30, 2025

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.