Notable Wizards player wants out of Washington?
Nov 7, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Washington Wizards Head Coach Wes Unseld Jr. during the first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
One well-known NBA player may be trying to get out of the nation’s capital.
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus spoke this week with an NBA source who said Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma is seeking a move from the team.
“He wants out,” the source was quoted as saying of Kuzma. “He’s looking for over $20 million a season and in a big market [or with a contender].”
The 27-year-old Kuzma, who can become a free agent in the summer if he turns down his $13 million player option for 2023-24, is making a strong case for that bigger payday. He is enjoying a picturesque season for the Wizards, averaging 20.8 points (a career high) plus 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.
While Kuzma has proven himself to be one of Washington’s most important players, he did not choose the Wizards. Instead, Kuzma began his career in a big market with the Los Angeles Lakers and was then traded to Washington in 2021 as part of the Russell Westbrook blockbuster.
The 6-foot-9 Kuzma will have no shortage of suitors if he exercises his opt-out in the offseason or even pushes the Wizards for a trade beforehand. That may even include a team that very nearly acquired Kuzma a little while back.
