Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings were one of the biggest surprise stories of last season. Defying all expectations, they were the 3rd seed in the Western Conference, ending their sixteen-year playoff drought.
Now, they are hungry to build upon last year’s success.
Their biggest weaknesses are size and solid 3-and-D wings. Kuzma helps in both areas. Their starting power forward Harrison Barnes is 31 years old with an expiring contract. It’s not clear whether they will be able to retain him.
Kuzma is not only a replacement for Barnes, he is an upgrade in the long run. He can defend opposing wings, play off-ball in Fox-Sabonis two-man actions, and be a secondary playmaker when one of them sits.
In return, the Wizards get Davion Mitchell, the 24-year-old lockdown defender, and Richaun Holmes, an overpaid but productive center. Mitchell is already one of the best point guard defenders in the league and has the potential to be more. Holmes has seen a decrease in his value and production over the past two years but would have an opportunity to revive his career in Washington.
Perhaps the most important part of any Kuzma trade will be the draft picks. The Wizards need to gather as many future assets (young players and draft picks) as they can throughout the rebuild. In this one, a 2026-protected first-round pick seems like fair value.