Kyle Kuzma was one player many thought would have been traded at the NBA Trade Deadline. Especially with the Dallas Mavericks showing significant interest. However, the Wizards retained Kuzma and he seems content to stay in Washington.
“There was a point in time, Dallas, they definitely did want me,” Kuzma told The Athletic on Monday, before the Wizards played the Mavericks at American Airlines Center. “(Michael) Winger presented me with what the trade was and obviously didn’t want to trade me and kind of left the decision up to me a little bit and asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I wanted to stay and continue to build something. And that was kind of the end of it.”
The Wizards have had a rough season this year, but Kuzma has at least been a bright spot for them.
Kyle Kuzma Content With Staying With Washington Wizards
The State of the Washington Wizards
As alluded to already, Washington is one of the worst teams in the league this season. They currently have a win-loss record of 9-44 and are the second-to-last place in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards roster does not have much talent compared to the rest of the Eastern Conference and the direction they are going in for the future is somewhat questionable.
They currently rank 27th in team defensive efficiency, 26th in offensive efficiency, and dead last in total rebounding percentage. As if that was not enough, Washington also has a less than stellar team three-point shooting percentage as they rank 27th in this category to go along with being ranked 17th in team points per game. That is not to say that the Wizards do not have any talent on their roster. Especially with how hot Kyle Kuzma can get on the offensive side of the floor. However, things must change soon if they want to brighten their future.
Kyle Kuzma’s Impact
Despite the team struggles, Kyle Kuzma has been having a solid year. He is currently averaging totals of 21.8 points, a career-high 4.2 assists, and 6.3 total rebounds per game along with a field goal percentage of 45.6 percent. Not to mention, Kuzma is also tallying an assist percentage of 20.7 percent, a defensive rebounding percentage of 18.4 percent, and a career-best player efficiency rating of 15.5. It is admirable that Kuzma is willing to stick it out with the Washington Wizards as they continue their rebuild process. It is a rare sight with players these days. Kuzma may not be a household name, but he is still an effective player for the Washington Wizards.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
