Major details revealed about a Wizards nixed trade offer

On Tuesday, NBA Insider Shams Charania revealed during an episode of Run It Back, FanDuel's flagship NBA show, that the Washington Wizards had a significant trade in place with the Dallas Mavericks before the deal that sent Daniel Gafford down south.

The trade details involved the Wizards sending Kyle Kuzma to the Mavericks in exchange for Grant Williams and an unprotected first-round pick. Shams went on to mention the framework would have also included additional salary filler to match up with the money Kuzma is owed this season.

According to Shams, the reason behind Washington declining the offer was Kuzma's declaration of his commitment to the Wizards organization. President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger brought the proposal to Kuzma, who expressed his loyalty to the District, ultimately leading the Wizards' front office to nix the deal.

Shortly after, the Wizards and the Mavericks found a match, which involved Washington sending Gafford to Dallas in exchange for Richaun Holmes and a first-round pick. In his first 8 games with the Wizards, Holmes has played 85 minutes, providing size off the bench for a team that otherwise lacks a backup option at center.

Did the Wizards do the right thing?

With where the team currently is in the early stages of a rebuild, it is imperative to find good players to begin building around. In the case of Kuzma, the 28-year-old forward is signed to a team-friendly four-year contract worth $90 million. Retaining Kuzma is a smart decision by Winger and the Wizards' front office.

This season, Kuzma is averaging a team-best 22.2 points per game, a solid mark from the 6'9" forward. Although the exact first-round pick the Mavericks had offered for Kuzma is a mystery, had the pick been one of their own future selections, the pick could be fool's gold.

The Mavericks have finished just one of their last four seasons below .500 and currently hold a 34-28 record following their loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. A Dallas first-round pick likely would not provide a strong enough draft position to warrant the Wizards trading away a cornerstone piece in Kuzma.