Kyle Kuzma has been a trade talk this offseason as the whole NBA community wants to get a player with a variable skill set. However, the 29-year-old will soon hit his prime, and the Washington Wizards are yet banking on the opportunity to get more out of the small forward. Amid all of it, Bleacher Report proposed a trade for the Miami Heat, bringing in Kyle Kuzma. Though the trade hasn’t been realized yet, it seems Kuzma has understood the assignment.

Recently, the NBA Champion delivered a cryptic message to Miami Heat president Pat Riley. Now, if it’s just admiration or something beyond that, it’s not clear. But his tone did carry some ulterior motives with it. Well, let’s go right back to Kyle Kuzma’s exact comment on the situation.

Is Kyle Kuzma endearing Pat Riley, yearning for a trade from the Wizards?

During an interaction on his Philippine tour, Kyle Kuzma expressed praise words for the Heat president. “I’ve never had a chance to interact with Pat, but I’ve always admired him. I just admire his no-nonsense approach to basketball. Being professional,” Kuzma presented why he respects Pat Riley so much. The Wizards star even made it sound in resonance with his approach to basketball. Adding to his candidacy for trade and worthiness, Kuzma dropped an indirect hint in between the flattery, “That’s me, you know, ….when I step in between the lines. Basketball, I’m very very serious because I love it and it’s important to me.”

From what Kuzma was expressing right there, looked like he was trying to highlight how similar his and Riley’s mindset is. And that was not the end of the praise. The 29-year-old further added, “I just love what he stands for. And we look at the tutelage of sports resume. From showtime years to building what Heat culture is, it’s pretty phenomenal.” By taking a look at that statement, it might be safe to assume that Kyle Kuzma is drooling for a trade to the Miami Heat.

However, the only problem is he signed his four-year $90 million deal just last season. So, he will be entering the second year of his lucrative contract. Even then, the teams had demand for the 29-year-old during the offseason kickoff and might continue till the February 6 trade deadline. But the Wizards did not do it before and might do it in the future as well, at least not by next year’s trade deadline. Reason? The Washington franchise does not seem to be in the mood for a rush. They are yet to get the best out of Kuzma as the cap will rise in the future. So once the Wizards’ small forward reaches his peak, the Wizards are going to wrap him up for a big package.

Yet there is a way that the Wizards might get what they want, and they don’t have to wait for that. On top of that, Kyle Kuzma’s help cry will be a success if that happens.

Kyle Kuzma and the path that leads the Wizards star to the Miami Heat before the trade deadline

Kyle Kuzma going for the Miami Heat doesn’t mean that Riley’s squad is a haven right now. They could not make it to the first round of playoffs despite all the talent that they have. For now, they have not offered an extension to Jimmy Butler. In addition to him, they’ve got veteran Bam Adebayo. How is Pat Riley going to determine that Kuzma is the missing piece? As per the trade from Grant Hughes, the solution may lie on both ends through a trade.

The 21-year-old young Nikola Jovic was the 27th overall pick from the 2022 NBA Draft class. The Heat forward averaged 7.7 points and 4.2 boards, along with 2 assists last season. Coming to the intangibles, he showed some relevant skills on the court, ideal for a building block. However, for that, the Wizards must also bear the brunt of Duncan Robinson, who is on a massive 5-year, $90 million contract. Coming off a dull season, he is 30 years old, almost at the twilight of his career. Averaging just 12.9 points with 2.8 assists is not something worthy of his contract right now. Yet the Wizards have to pay him about $40 million over the next two years.

But the good thing is that the team is also getting a first-round pick. On the other end, considering what Kyle Kuzma said, he’ll be happy to be with the Heat. It is not the best offer since the Wizards are betting on the fact that Jovic’s performance will improve over extensive minutes on the court. However, if that does not work out, it will be a burden for an already passable trade package. It’s not bad and better can be in its way for the Wizards. However, it’s a fairly acceptable deal knowing that Kyle Kuzma’s thoughts don’t align with the organization’s mindset. Going through it all, will you make this trade? Let us know in the comments.