SUMMARY
- Kyle Kuzma was offered a trade to the Mavericks ahead of the trade deadline.
- The former NBA Champion told Wizards President Michael Winger that he wanted to stay committed to the franchise.
Kyle Kuzma has proven that he can be a great player on the floor. However, his stint with the Washington Wizards has never yielded much success. The issues lie with the Wizards since they’re a team that’s trying to rebuild. Right now, they do not have assets powerful enough to bring them to the playoffs.
Before the trade deadline, Kuzma was involved in a potential swap that could have landed him a sport alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. But the deal didn’t work out and Kuzma’s comments on the botched deal were very interesting. He said, “In my career, I won a championship. So, I understand that when we play this game of basketball it’s not about contending for a playoff spot. It’s about contending for an NBA championship. There’s only like three or four contenders, true contenders. I just felt like our timelines didn’t line up.”
He said he’d rather be on the worst team in the league than the mavs I’m dead 💀
— Will 🤘 (@JohnCarlsongang) February 13, 2024
He said he’d rather be on the worst team in the league than the mavs I’m dead 💀
— Will 🤘 (@JohnCarlsongang) February 13, 2024
Fans were taken aback on hearing Kyle Kuzma claim that the Mavericks aren’t a legitimate title contender. One fan said, “Bro you play for the Wizards… you’ve won only 9 games all [year]… Gafford who just joined will equal that in the next 7 games.” Another fan added, “He said he’d rather be on the worst team in the league than the Mavs I’m dead.” Either way, Kuzma is fully entitled to his opinion. The Mavericks may not have the best chance to win the title, but they are certainly in the conversation.
Kyle Kuzma rejected the idea of playing for the Mavericks
As mentioned earlier, the Wizards are trying to rebuild. They have one of the worst records in the league season with 9 wins and 44 losses. While the Wizards’ President, Michael Winger worked out an entire deal, he left the decision up to Kuzma. “There was a point in time, Dallas, they definitely did want me. Winger presented me with what the trade was and obviously didn’t want to trade me,” as per Bleacher Report.
Kyle Kuzma mentioned that the Wizards offered him a trade to Dallas, but he chose to stay in DC to build something there
(Via https://t.co/o9p9THgNFD) pic.twitter.com/M0v9Bdz0Mx
— Dime Alerts (@dimealerts) February 13, 2024
“[He] 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,” he concluded. Winger also confirmed that Kuzma wanted to be with the Wizards. It was stated that Kuzma “re-emphasized his desire to forge ahead” and commit to the Wizards for the long run.
Kyle Kuzma reveals his true feelings about Wizards president Michael Winger
It turns out, Kyle Kuzma has a deeper connection with the Wizards, which is another reason why he wants to remain with the organization. He said, “Winger, he’s been very straightforward with me ever since my first meeting with him. He’s a very blunt person, and I am, too… Especially in this business, a lot of things are very passive-aggressive, non-confrontational. A lot of times, a lot of front offices leave a lot of players a little confused on the ground level, and that hasn’t been Winger at all.”
This season, the former NBA Champion has been averaging 21.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 45.6 FG%. This has been his best stat line since joining the league in 2017. Right now, Kuzma is on a four-year deal with the Wizards worth $90 million. This contract is valid until the 2026-27 season after which he can become a free agent.
