Kyle Kuzma Begins Trade Showcase vs. 76ers as Rumors Fly

The NBA trade deadline is still a little over a month away. With the key December 15 date in the rearview and teams reaching a point in the season where they begin to accept whether they’re contenders or headed towards a rebuild, the trade market should start to see some action sooner than later.

On Tuesday night, the Philadelphia 76ers will face one of the most popular names in the market when they take on Kyle Kuzma and the Washington Wizards.

The 2017 first-round pick started his career in Los Angeles with the Lakers. As LA revamped its roster, going from a young and inexperienced squad to a contender built around LeBron James, Kuzma was fortunate to be around for the Lakers’ 2020 championship run.

Two years later, though, he was on the outs. As the Lakers looked to take the veteran All-Star Russell Westbrook off the Wizards’ hands, Kuzma was sent packing to D.C. Last season, the veteran forward started in 66 games for the Wizards, averaging 33 minutes on the floor.

During that time, Kuzma averaged 17 points, nine rebounds, and four assists while draining 34 percent of his threes. Although he found personal success during his debut season in Washington, Kuzma’s Wizards missed the playoffs.

This year, the Wizards are facing similar issues. Sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference, the Wizards are 13-21, with just two wins over their last ten games. As the playoffs continue to slide out of reach, the rumors regarding Kuzma are getting louder.

The Latest on Kuzma

NBA Insider Marc Stein reported ahead of Tuesday’s matchup between the Sixers and the Wizards that Kuzma is “gettable” in the trade market.

“The Wizards might ultimately be forced to concede that they have to trade him before the buzzer to ensure they don’t lose him for nothing,” Stein wrote.

Kuzma could return to the Wizards next season and make $13 million for the year. Since he has a player option attached, it’s up to Kuzma to decide whether he wants to accept another year with the Wizards or not.

The veteran made his thoughts on the situation public recently, and it’s not a positive sign for the Wizards.

"It's not a smart business move," Kuzma told ESPN, revealing he planned to test the free agency market this summer. "The max I can make if I sign right now is $15 [million]. If you look at the market, that's not market price."

A Showcase Begins

The Wizards likely don’t love their chances of retaining Kuzma on a long-term contract when the season ends. The best business move for the organization would be to move on and get value for the forward before losing him to the market for nothing.

As trade rumors heat up, Kuzma will be under a microscope for the next month, beginning on Tuesday against the Sixers.

So far, Kuzma’s value is up. In 33 games, the veteran is averaging a career-high of 22 points while coming down with eight rebounds per game. His field goal percentage is slightly higher from last year, as he’s knocked down 47 percent of his shots.

On Tuesday, Kuzma could see a mix of defenders, such as PJ Tucker and Tobias Harris. In his first outing against the Sixers this year, Kuzma scored nine points while coming down with seven rebounds. In the second outing against the 76ers, Kuzma had an 18-point showing while collecting eight rebounds.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.