The Washington Wizards have come a far way from last offseason to where they stand now heading into the 2025-26 season.
General manager Will Dawkins is to thank for the team's moves to get to this point and although it's come at the expense of several players, there's no denying that the team is in a much better position now than they were at this point last offseason.
Washington has said goodbye to many players through the last couple of years and most of which have ended their tenure in the DMV on good terms.
Jordan Poole's tenure started out a bit hectic, but in the end, fans will miss the exciting moments he brought to the table on any given night.
Jonas Valanciunas has been missed since the NBA trade deadline in February, mainly due to how much of a consistent force he was on the court and the good vibes he brought in the locker room.
Richaun Holmes still has teammates that wish he remained in Washington beyond this offseason.
However, when it comes to the departure of Kyle Kuzma, there hasn't seemed to be any regret or remorse about the forward's departure.
Kuzma brought exciting times to Washington, but even throughout that, the way his tenure ended put a bit of a sour taste in the mouth of both Wizards' fans and the front office.
The forward made it clear he didn't have much of a desire to remain with the Wizards beyond this season and when the going got tough to start the year, he made it clear that he wanted out sooner rather than later.
And while Kuzma didn't leave the Wizards with many positives to remember, the opening his departure left in the front court may be to thank for the Wizards aggressive offseason to fill in the gaps.
Between the additions of Cam Whitmore and Will Riley, Washington has put themselves in much better position moving forward.
Not only do both wings have high upside, but their potential paired with the fact they'll be able to learn under a savvy veteran like Khris Middleton is a much better scenario entering the 2025-26 season than it would have been having Kuzma on the roster for another season.
Not only are the vibes better, but the Wizards are much better suited for the future of their rebuild.
So maybe we should thanks Kuzma after all?