Washington Wizards: How Long Will Kyle Kuzma Last In DC?
By Jack Skolnik
What is the plan for the Washington Wizards and Kyle Kuzma?
So with Kyle Kuzma, there are two main points as to why many believe he will be moved sooner rather than later. The first one is that he is a good player that any contending team could use. He has size, can score both inside and out, can rebound, can handle, and when locked in, is a solid defender.
The other reason, as our Wiz of Awes expert Cem Yobulan wrote earlier this summer, is Kuzma’s contract is extremely fair and easily movable. At just around $25 million a year, he is being paid less than the likes of Cam Johnson, Tyler Herro, and Jerami Grant. Comparing Kuzma to those other guys by play on the court is another discussion for another time, but it’s safe to say the Washington Wizards got a bargain with this deal.
With this being said, moving Kuzma, assuming he continues to play at his current All-Star caliber level, should not be hard and he will definitely have suitors. However, the main factor that a lot of people are missing surrounding Kuzma and the Wizards, is that the rebuild itself has not even begun yet, and may not for some time.
Over the summer, we had some superb reporting from The Athletics Josh Robbins, detailing that the Wizards are going slowly transition into their rebuild as opposed to jumping right in, as many expected.
With a transitional period like the one that is planned out, keeping a player like Kuzma, at least for now, makes a lot of sense. If the Wizards want to move into bottoming out slowly, as used in the NFL Quarterback language, they need a stopgap.
They need a guy who can carry the load, take over the scoring reigns, and be a point of stability as the Wizards continue to reshape and emphasize development. Another major point in the above Robbins article, is the importance of reestablishing a positive, winning culture that the Wizards have lacked for many years. Well, it seems like Kyle Kuzma is the perfect type of guy to have around for that as well.
He has been a breath of fresh air since joining the Wizards, has been a leader for younger players such as Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert, and been a consummate pro. Combining the need for good locker room guys with the need for solid players on the floor, and you have the reason that Kyle Kuzma will probably stick around for a bit.
This gives the Wizards the flexibility to be able to evaluate the roster, make a few moves to bring in more youth, and let them flourish as we ascend into this next generation of Wizards basketball. Assuming he continues to play the way he has been playing since joining the Wizards, there is no reason to think that Kuz wont fetch just as good of a package in two years as he will today. Yes, he is already 28, but if the plan is to go to a contending team, theres no reason to think that Kyle Kuzma will be slowing down anytime soon.
The Wizards clearly have a long road ahead, but there is no reason to think that they have to do a nosedive into their rebuild. They want to take their time, hopefully develop good habits from the top of the organization to the bottom, and navigate through the future as organically as possible.
Kyle Kuzma may not ever be the face of a Washington Wizards championship, but he absolutely can the face of an organization doing a complete 180, for the better.
