This is going to be an interesting offseason for the Washington Wizards as they look to reshape their roster and plan for the future around Deni Avdija, Bilal Coulibaly, and the second pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The biggest elephant in the room heading into the summer is Kyle Kuzma, as it seems obvious that the Wizards should consider trading him and his massive contract away.
There are some trade ideas that could make sense for the Wizards, but Washington will probably want something perfect.
Here are three Kuzma trades that the Wizards should make immediately if they were offered.
1. Houston Rockets
How desperate are the Houston Rockets to win right now? How desperate are the Rockets to trade the third pick in the 2024 NBA Draft? Are they this desperate?
Trading the third pick for Kyle Kuzma would ensure that the Rockets are competing for a playoff spot next year. And considering how weak this year’s draft class is, maybe they’d be willing to part ways with pick three for him.
For the Wizards, this deal would land them a second top-three pick in the draft and a chance to add two players to a rebuilding team that desperately needs an infusion of more young talent.
It seems relatively unlikely that the Rockets would get rid of the third pick for as little as Kuzma, but if they’re interested in pushing forward, this could make some sense.
And from the perspective of the Wizards, this deal would be an easy one to accept.
2. Memphis Grizzlies
Another team that has expressed a desire to trade their top-10 pick in this year’s draft, the Memphis Grizzlies could potentially get in the mix for a Kyle Kuzma trade this summer.
With Ja Morant coming back and the Grizzlies (hopefully) getting healthy, adding another high-level rotation piece could help them seriously compete in the Western Conference.
Alongside Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and the rest of the team, Kuzma would provide the Grizzlies with an extra source of offense at the forward position.
There have been some rumors that the Grizzlies may want to trade up in the draft in an attempt to select UConn big man Donovan Clingan, but if they can’t, getting Kuzma and rolling with Jackson Jr. at the five could be an intriguing option.
Meanwhile, this deal would help the Wizards add another top-10 pick in this year’s draft, which would give them an opportunity to add a young player to their roster.
Obviously, they have the second pick, which is their own, but snagging the ninth pick from the Grizzlies would be a huge win, too, even though the draft may not be as strong as in recent seasons.
Perhaps the Grizzlies would rather go after a big man, but Kuzma’s offensive punch would be a big help, and Washington getting some more draft capital would be a win for them.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
At the deadline this past year, the Oklahoma City Thunder made a deal for Gordon Hayward, but that was the only big-time move they made. It didn’t work out. Hayward’s time with the Thunder was less than ideal, and it led to a messy divorce by the end of the season.
The Thunder landed the one seed in the NBA Playoffs, but they got eliminated in the second round, getting bounced by the Dallas Mavericks (who are now playing in the NBA Finals) in six games.
Heading into the offseason, they have a chance to right that wrong by adding a rotation piece, and Kyle Kuzma could be a solid option for them to go after.
Josh Giddey got played off the floor at times in the playoffs, so giving him up for a piece that would fit better within their lineup makes sense.
Meanwhile, the Wizards would land a young point guard who would get a new start and a team to run on his own. Next to Deni Avdija and Bilal Coulibaly, Giddey could help the Wizards grow moving forward.
Plus, adding two second-round picks to their pool of assets would help them as they attempt to improve their future.