Ranking Kyle Kuzma trade destinations amid Wizards' historically bad start

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Since arriving in Washington, Kyle Kuzma carried heavy expectations as one of the best players on the Wizards roster. Fast forward to today, Kuzma is having one of the worst seasons of his career. The NBA champion has been hampered by injuries and is shooting a career-worst 42% from the field overall and 27.6% from beyond the arc.

On the bright side, Kuzma is still averaging a respectable 15.8 points per game. And with the Wizards expected to rebuild, it’s nearly a sure thing that Kuzma is on the trading block. For this piece, let’s rank Kyle Kuzma’s trade destinations amid the Wizards’ historically bad start.

1. Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are sitting at the 12th seed in the Western Conference with a 13-13 win-loss record, after a hot start. While the Kings are currently on a three-game winning streak, they could use tweaks to their roster at the wings. Hence, making them the ideal destination for Kuzma.

Kings forwards Kevin Huerter and Trey Lyles are having an awful season thus far. Huerter is averaging 10.2 points per game while shooting a career-low 32.3% from beyond the arc. On the other hand, Lyles’ production has experienced a drop this year. He is only putting up 5.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per outing on a measly 36.3% from the field overall.

Given their poor performances as of late, it wasn’t surprising that the Kings actually placed them both in the trade market as early as last season. But this year, the Kings can trade the pair for an NBA champion like Kuzma. Huerter ($16.8 million) and Lyles ($8 million) will combine for around $25 million in salary. In order to execute the deal, the Wizards can offer the NBA champion and Patrick Baldwin Jr.

The Wizards can ultimately get younger with a potential building block in the 26-year-old Huerter, who can regain his shooting touch in Washington. On the other hand, Lyles should be happy with more consistent playing time as part of the Wizards rotation.

For the Kings, the addition of the NBA champion should bring in more veteran stability to this young team. Kuzma should also have a better production compared to the current Kings forwards, with his size, shooting, and experience. He isn’t exactly gonna be the third star of the team. However, his presence adds depth to a Kings squad that’s aiming for a deeper run in the playoffs.

2. San Antonio Spurs

Another destination that Kuzma can possibly thrive in is San Antonio. With Kuzma’s skillset and size, the Spurs should easily find a way to integrate the 6-foot-9 forward into their system. Kuzma doesn’t exactly need to be ball-dominant to be effective, making him a perfect addition to the Spurs’ signature team-oriented play style. Furthermore, it will be interesting to see how Kuzma pairs with Wembanyama on sets.

But more importantly, Kuzma gets another chance to compete for a team with playoff hopes. At this point, it’s evident that Kuzma isn’t the type of star that can carry a franchise, with the Wizards showing zero playoff appearances since his arrival. As a result, it might be better off for the NBA champion to return to postseason play with a promising team like San Antonio.

To make this happen, the Spurs won’t really have to give much to bring in the NBA champion. San Antonio can offer Keldon Johnson ($19 million) or Harrison Barnes ($19 million) along with the team’s first-round draft picks. The Wizards will probably be enticed by the Spurs’ haul of draft picks, allowing them to build for the future.

3. Golden State Warriors

With Kuzma’s elite shooting and mark on defense, he should be able to thrive for the Bay Area. Kuzma’s shooting isn’t so hot right now. However, under Kerr, he should have plenty of space to shoot better shots with a system that’s built for shooters. Just take a look at how Buddy Hield has been lighting it up this year.

Furthermore, unlike with the Wizards, the defense isn’t solely focused on Kuzma, since he’s the best player in the Wizards roster outside of Jordan Poole. With the Warriors, the former NBA All-Rookie First Team player has the luxury of playing alongside the best shooter in the world, Stephen Curry. Moreover, the Warriors’ deep arsenal of offensive weapons should keep the pressure off of Kuzma.

In order for the Warriors to land Kuzma, the team may need to surrender the injured De’Anthony Melton ($12.8 million), Gary Payton II ($9.1 million), and Gui Santos ($1.9 million). Melton is currently out for the season, while Payton and Santos aren’t really playing pivotal roles in the Warriors rotation. Sacrificing them for a seasoned forward like Kuzma, especially when Andrew Wiggins is underperforming at the small forward position, makes it an ideal destination for Kuzma to shine.

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