Kyle Kuzma knows what he’s signing up for. Shortly after agreeing to stay with the Washington Wizards on a four-year, $102 million contract, the forward took to social media to acknowledge his return — and the different circumstances he now finds himself in.
Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, Kuzma’s two co-stars from last season, are now gone. And the Wizards have started to rebuild.
“DC let’s turn this ship around!!” Kuzma tweeted. “May take time but I’m committed you guys and turning this city up!!”
At first glance, Washington’s decision to retain Kuzma can seem confusing. If the team intends to truly blow up the roster and build it back up, doesn’t Kuzma keep the Wizards in the same 35-win range they’ve been over the past few seasons?
Not necessarily.
The Wizards still have taken plenty of steps this offseason to dismantle the roster. A day after reaching an agreement with Kuzma, for instance, Washington traded point guard Monte Morris to the Detroit Pistons for a second-round pick. Beal is now in Phoenix, while Porizngis resides in Boston. Three of Washington’s five starters from a year ago are now gone. In the process, the Wizards have gained much-needed flexibility: They’ve stocked up on second-round picks and have taken flyers on still-developing players such as Tyus Jones and Jordan Poole.
Washington’s roster may not be the worst in the NBA next season. But recent history has shown that teams no longer have to completely bottom out to have a shot at landing a top player. This past season, Charlotte (27 wins) and Portland (33 wins) jumped into the top 3 of the NBA draft, despite having the fourth- and fifth-worst records in the league. That came thanks to a change the NBA made four years ago, when the league revised its lottery odds to discourage teams from tanking.
There are advantages to keeping Kuzma, too. If the 27-year-old continues to play as well as he did last season, when he averaged a career-high 21.2 points per game, he’ll be likely to generate interest from rival teams. And rather than lose Kuzma in free agency for nothing, Washington would then be in a position to flip Kuzma for assets.
The test for Washington’s remade front office will be to recognize when to flip Kuzma at the best time. That’s an area in which Washington’s last regime — led by Tommy Sheppard — struggled.
Rather than trade Beal when his value was at an all-time high, say after the 2020 season, the Wizards’ brass held onto the three-time All-Star and eventually gave him a no-trade clause. That decision meant Washington’s new regime had to accept minimal return for Beal, in part because the 30-year-old had significant leverage.
With an average salary of $25.5 million, Kuzma’s contract is big but shouldn’t be an obstacle if Washington needs to move forward. It’s also large enough that if the Wizards ever decide to reverse course and pursue a superstar, his salary could be used to facilitate a deal.
The situation mirrors how the Pistons once handled the signing of forward Jerami Grant. At the beginning of a rebuild under a new regime, Detroit signed Grant to a three-year, $60 million deal. Though Grant is a talented scorer, his presence didn’t prevent the Pistons from being one of the worst teams in the league.
After a 20-win campaign, the Pistons won the lottery and drafted guard Cade Cunningham first overall. Then in June 2022, Detroit flipped Grant to Portland for a package that included a 2025 first-round pick.
In the meantime, Kuzma gets to stay in a spot where he has thrived as a player. The Wizards, he has said, have helped him develop into a more versatile player rather than just the 3-and-D role player he was in Los Angeles. Next season, he and Poole will be Washington’s primary scoring options.
And, even if Kuzma is never traded from Washington, he appears to be well-liked and could have a positive impact on the younger players that Washington brings in.
There are worse things than playing out a $102 million contract.
“(Nine) figures out the mud that’s blessed,” Kuzma tweeted. “Just a kid from Flint.”
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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