"The Wizards did have an option to trade Kyle Kuzma at the deadline to the Mavericks for Grant Williams and an unprotected first round pick...Kyle Kuzma decided to stay loyal, he wanted to remain and stick it out with the Wizards." @ShamsCharania on Kyle Kuzma and the Washington…
The details of aborted trade deal featuring Kyle Kuzma have been revealed
NBAWednesday, 06 March 2024 at 07:00
No one would blame Kyle Kuzma if he wanted to leave the Washington Wizards, who are now the worst team in the entire NBA. But a few weeks ago, Kuzma had the chance to say goodbye to the Wizards but he instead chose to ride things out with the team.
Speaking on Run It Back, NBA insider Shams Charania revealed the specifics of a deal that was coming together to send Kuzma to the Dallas Mavericks.
"The Wizards did have an option to trade Kyle Kuzma at the deadline to the Mavericks for Grant Williams and an unprotected first-round pick...Kyle Kuzma decided to stay loyal, he wanted to remain and stick it out with the Wizards," Charania said.
The Wizards would have received Grant Williams and a first-round pick from the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving would have been joined by Kuzma. That would have been a pretty big deal and one that could have potentially helped both teams, but Kuzma shot it down when it was brought to him by the Wizards' president.
In the end, Williams was ultimately sent to the Charlotte Hornets and Kuzma is still with the Wizards.
Kuzma is in his third season with the Wizards and is putting up 22.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while going 46.1% from the field and 34.2% from downtown.
The Wizards have no chance of reaching the playoffs this year and next season will also probably be tough but it's clear that Kuzma believes in his troubled team and wants to help them, no matter the odds.
However, there may be a chance that he doesn't have a say in the matter. Washington might decide to blow the team up this summer and send Kuzma away, no matter what he wants. His effort to stay in Washington was admirable but it might not lead to him playing with the Wizards much longer.
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