Not surprisingly, Kyle Kuzma declined his $13 million player option and is now a free agent. He is coming off a career year with the Wizards and a return to Washington on a new long-term deal is not impossible. Kuzma, Jordan Poole, and Tyus Jones could form an interesting young combination, but chances are that Kuzma will want to try something new and see who can offer him the best contract.
As one of the more attractive fee agents available this summer, Kuzma will have many suitors. So, let’s look at four teams that could steal him from the Wizards.
4. Indiana Pacers
When everyone was healthy last season, the Pacers looked like a promising team. The group around Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Buddy Hield, and Miles Turner has plenty of talent and with the right addition, they could easily take a big step forward. Kuzma would be an interesting option for that.
He could help out Haliburton as a high-level scorer and take some weight off of the young point guard’s shoulders. Last season, Haliburton was the only Pacer to average more than 20 points per game, closely followed by Turner with 18 points and Hield with 16.8. Adding Kuzma, who averaged 21.2 points last season, could catapult their offense to the next level. Kuzma is not a great three-point shooter but the Pacers have plenty of firepower from long-range so that would not be much of a problem, and he would have the freedom to operate inside the arc.
Furthermore, Kuzma’s rebounding would be a valuable addition. He averaged 7.2 rebounds last season, which is more than every Pacer other than Turner. Age- and money-wise, Kuzma would be a solid fit as well. He is just about to turn 28 in July but already has some championship experience to add to a young core. Fortunately, the Pacers have plenty of cap space and are in a great position for free agency. They also know that Indiana is not a free-agent destination so they could very well be willing to outbid other suitors to upgrade their roster.
3. Utah Jazz
After trading away Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, the Jazz were not expected to show much competitiveness in the 2022-23 season. They exceeded expectations, however, and showed some serious promise. Lauri Markkanen, for example, had a breakout season and Walker Kessler put together an All-Rookie campaign.
This means that the Jazz now have the option to avoid a slow rebuild and accelerate their timeline. They have tons of cap space to bring in new pieces and Kuzma would offer plenty of what they need to take a step forward. Not only does he already have championship experience, but he is also on a similar timeline as Markkanen.
Markkanen was the Jazz’s leading scorer last season, averaging 25.6 points per game. Next in line was Jordan Clarkson, their other 20-point scorer. If Clarkson decides to leave Utah in free agency, the Jazz need someone to replace that production. On the other hand, if Clarkson stays and Collin Sexton is healthy, the Jazz could turn into a formidable scoring team if they add Kuzma to the mix.
Kuzma could also add some playmaking in the frontcourt, which they could use now that Mike Conley is in Minnesota. A frontcourt of Markkanen, Kuzma, and Kessler could surely be worth a try if the Jazz want to be competitive and they have the money to be an appealing destination for Kuzma.
2. Houston Rockets
The Rockets reportedly want to start winning and use their cap space to bring in some veterans. If that is true, what they need more than anything is a point guard to organize their offense and put their young players into a position to succeed. They could also use a productive and experienced wing, however, to improve their game on both ends of the floor as well as help build a culture and identity.
Kuzma could add scoring, playmaking, and rebounding that could drastically improve the Rockets as well as some competitive defense on the wing. Only Jalen Green averaged more points than Kuzma last season with an average of 22.1 points and only Alperen Sengun grabbed more rebounds (9 per game). If they do, in fact, want to accelerate their rebuild, Kuzma could be one possible veteran to help with that.
Houston has amassed a ton of young talent, but their problem is that few high-level veterans want to be a part of such a young and somewhat chaotic squad. Kuzma, however, might be inclined to sign with the highest bidder and if they wanted to land him, that could very well be the Rockets. Since a James Harden reunion is apparently not very likely anymore, Kuzma would be one of the best available free agents available to add to their young squad.
1. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks do not have the money to sign Kuzma as a free agent, but they have been linked to him ever since it became clear that he would likely decline his player option. If they really want to bring him on board, they will have to use a sign-and-trade.
In a way, it makes sense. The Mavericks need another scorer next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving who can also create for himself, and Kuzma is much better suited to be a third option than the primary offensive piece. Combining Doncic’s, Irving’s, and Kuzma’s scoring would make Dallas a scary offensive team.
No matter how well they can score, the Mavericks desperately need to get better on defense. They ranked towards the bottom of the league in defensive rating last season and Kuzma could add some toughness on that end. His defense is somewhat underrated but in Washington, he often matched up with stars like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and DeMar DeRozan. Considering how much the Mavericks struggled defensively, that might not be enough to fix their biggest issues and Kuzma would probably have to be a part of a bigger project to add supporting players around their two stars.