Kyle Kuzma is having a career year for the Washington Wizards this season and it isn’t going unnoticed in NBA circles.
The 27-year-old is currently in the second year of a three-year, $39 million deal he originally signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. He is due $13 million this season and then $13 million next season if he picks up his player option, but that seems unlikely.
Popular consensus around the league these days is that Kuzma is a $20 million per year-type of player. Whether the Wizards want to pay him that or not going forward is unclear.
Kuzma, for his part, has made it no secret that he is open to being traded elsewhere in 2022-23.
This week, a new suitor for him emerged: the Chicago Bulls.
“Definitely an interest there,” a source told NBA insider Sean Deveney of the Bulls. “But a lot of teams do. The Wizards have been checking the market on Kuzma, and he has been playing well.
“His contract now, it is pretty good, even a bargain with how he is producing… but they don’t want to go over the tax, so that is a concern. They’re looking for a little more defense if they are to make a trade, but Kuzma makes some sense for them.”
If Chicago did make a move for Kuzma, it’s not clear how he, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan would all function together.
It could signal the end of LaVine’s time with the Bulls, which also wouldn’t be totally unexpected. He has been beefing with the organization and at least two legitimate trade suitors for him have emerged in recent weeks.
Hard not to root for the Jaguars now. https://t.co/8RDGi4IOoP
— Game 7 (@game7__) January 20, 2023
The NBA Trade Deadline is rapidly approaching, and unlike most seasons, it feels like a lot could happen this time around.
Will Kuzma still be a member of the Wizards come Feb. 10? Time will tell.
Related: Paulina Gretzky Rips Shirt Open For Wild New Photos
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
