Kyle Kuzma hinting at frustration with Wizards’ offense?
Dec 6, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
It may be time to sound the “he gone” alarm in the nation’s capital.
The Washington Wizards suffered another rough loss on Wednesday to the Atlanta Hawks. Despite leading by as many as 15 in the second half, the Wizards collapsed late and lost 122-120.
After the game, Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma was asked if the team’s fourth-quarter offense was too predictable and offered an interesting response.
“For sure [it’s too predictable],” said Kuzma. “At the end of the day, that’s what we live and die with. It’s cool. A lot of times, we have the ball in the 4th and it’s Brad[ley Beal]’s ball. It’s his time in the 4th, and it’s his team so we just live and die by it, and it’s cool. Whatever happens, you just live with it.”
The three-time All-Star Beal is Washington’s leading scorer and best overall player. But he does have a tendency to get tunnel vision late in games, over-dribbling and/or taking low-percentage shots to the detriment of the rest of the offense. Perhaps not coincidentally either, the Wizards are 31-35 this season and still have not had a winning campaign since 2017-18 (back when Beal shared the alpha duties with John Wall).
For Kuzma, who is one of the team’s other leading scorers at 21.5 points per contest, he can become a unrestricted free agent after the 2022-23 season. The persistent rumors that Kuzma might leave the Wizards may only grow louder with these latest comments from the sixth-year forward.
