“Several contending teams are expected to pursue Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma”. With that one statement from Shams Charania, another player’s prominence amidst existing trade rumors seems to have increased. Among the discussion of finding new homes for players like Jonas Valanciunas and Rui Hachimura, the Wizards power forward is also reportedly being actively pursued by other franchises. With the Feb deadline approaching quickly, efforts to lock down the 29-year-old turn more noticeable too. As for the player himself, Kuzma wouldn’t 100% disagree on a trade. After all, his Washington franchise’s existing reality is not very appealing.

Yesterday, The Athletic’s David Aldridge and Josh Robbins released a report on the current condition of the Wizards. At 3-19, the team is currently rotting dead bottom in the East. It has the worst record among both conferences. Winning only 11 more games, if they continue at this rate, the Wizards risk having a worse record than the previous season.

The Athletic approached Kyle Kuzma to respond to the same, and the hoopster didn’t shy away from revealing how the team’s condition was even worse for him. After all, they had failed to meet even the low bar he had personally set for them.

“I try to come into seasons with not too much of an expectation because you just never know how things can go,” said Kuzma in his statement. “I probably thought we could struggle, but never to the extent that we are in the present.”

The 29-year-old has been making an effort to stand out individually. Over 12 games, he’s averaging 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. While his 3-point accuracy stands at a low 27.6%, he’s shooting at only 42% from the field, and his free throws have a success rate of 68.8%.

Unfortunately, except for Jordan Poole, no other Wizard has reached, or surpassed, the same potential as Kuzma. Thanks to this, the franchise currently ranks last in defense, allowing an average of 123.8 points per game.

On top of that, they made headlines for all the wrong reasons after they could not win even a single game in November. While the surprising 122-113 win against the Nuggets helped to restore some faith recently, Kuzma’s team was back to their old ways after badly losing 140-112 to the Grizzlies.

Being amid such poor records, from time to time, would not be ideal for any average NBA player. Especially Kyle Kuzma. After all, he is a former NBA champion who hasn’t even made the playoffs since the 2021 season. Therefore, a shift before February may be welcomed by the hoopster raking in $23.5 million this season. The only question that remains to be pondered upon is: Where?

Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers stand out as potential contenders for a Kyle Kuzma acquisition

If it was last year, then the Washington Wizards may have quickly shut down the trade rumors. However, in the span of a year, the team has acquired rookies Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, and Bub Carrington. Additionally, reports reveal that coaches may place emphasis on Bilal Coulibaly to grow as a playmaker. In light of this, bidding adieu to Kuzma won’t sting that much.

If the Wizards can acquire some trade players, they could put them to good use. As highlighted by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the Los Angeles Lakers may look to get the player back into their fold. Additionally, the Golden State Warriors have also shown interest. Both teams join the Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, and the Cleveland Cavaliers to have “kept tabs” on Kuzma.

The Lakers have certainly acquired back their former players in the past. We have seen this in the case of Wayne Ellington, Dwight Howard, and Trevor Ariza. Additionally, things aren’t too hostile between the player and his former team. After all, upon being traded to the Wizards, Kuzma had stated, “Nah, it’s all love. It’s all love for sure.”

As for the Warriors, sources like The Sporting News believe that Kuzma could be a valuable addition. Especially now, as Kerr’s 13-man rotations make waves. Furthermore, Kuzma could be a slightly better starter than Andrew Wiggins, if you think about it… Which team would you like to see Kyle head to? Or, do you believe he should stay with the Washington Wizards? Let us know your thoughts below.