The Washington Wizards are in a precarious situation. After their ten-game losing streak, reports began to surface that Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma intends to decline his player option to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. It has yet again been a difficult year for the Wizards as they have failed to meet expectations for now the second year in a row.
The mantra that has been repeated throughout the front office for years now is that the Wizards will not tank. However, with such a budding player like Kuzma with one foot seemingly out the door and several generational prospects available in this year’s draft, the front office now faces a serious dilemma as to how they should approach the rest of this season.
Since being traded to Washington in the 2021 offseason for Russell Westbrook, Kuzma has posted career numbers and has emerged as a legitimate second option. He certainly deserves all-star consideration this season for averaging close to 22 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
However, it is unlikely that Kuzma will resign with the Wizards this summer as he will likely seek to join a contender. He is expected to make north of $20 million with his new contract. This means that Tommy Sheppard and the Wizards are on borrowed time. Sheppard is no stranger to trading players by the February trade deadline. Last season, he managed to trade Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans for Kristaps Porzingis in a move that has paid dividends for the Wizards. Even so, this will likely be a much tougher situation given Kuzma’s opt out clause in his contract.
Kuzma will certainly have plenty of suitors looking to trade for him at the deadline, so here are some trade scenarios the Wizards should consider.