Inside The Wizards

Wizards Window Closing to Trade Kyle Kuzma?

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

Jeremy Brener

Nov 22, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) defends in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Nov 22, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) defends in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has been a name featured in trade rumors ever since he arrived to the nation's capital in 2021.

Now in his fourth season with the Wizards, Kuzma is one of the longest-tenured players on the roster, and his time in the nation's capital may be coming to an end.

However, The Athletic's Law Murray believes Kuzma's trade value could be taking a nosedive after a disappointing start to the season.

"Kuzma turns 30 next summer, but he is under contract through 2027. He has missed half of the season with injuries and has spent his on-court time being one of the least efficient offensive players in the league while also being ineffective defensively," Murray writes.

"Kuzma has shown in the past that he can be a good rebounder and passer while offering size at the forward spot and being in the right spots at the right times. But his inconsistent shooting and average athleticism might have a chilling effect."

Kuzma has played in just 12 games for the Wizards this season, averaging 15.8 points per game. The scoring average is roughly seven points per game fewer than what he was able to build last season, a career-high for the Wizards.

This means Kuzma's value could be depreciating around the league, but does that mean the Wizards should still trade him?

Kuzma isn't getting any younger and that contract won't warrant much if it continues to drain, so the Wizards have a tough choice.

Either the Wizards need to trade Kuzma now so that they don't risk his value getting worse or they need to ride it out, let him have a chance to bring it back up and potentially reap the benefits of being patient with him.

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Jeremy Brener
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.

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