The Washington Wizards had a chance to move Kyle Kuzma but declined, with Kuzma indicating that he wanted to stay in Washington.
Josh Robbins of The Athletic reported that the Wizards’ President, Michael Winger, consulted Kuzma on a potential trade to the Dallas Mavericks. Kuzma didn’t want to leave Washington, so Winger called the Mavericks to tell them the Kuzma deal wouldn’t take place. As Robbins reported, there is information on what the Wizards would get in return.
Eventually, Washington sent Daniel Gafford to Dallas for a 2024 first-round pick.
Many draft experts consider the 2024 draft to be void of franchise-changing talent.
The Wizards’ front office also decided not to trade Tyus Jones at the trade deadline because the plan is to try to re-sign Jones.
Both decisions have a level of risk.
Kuzma has value and is under contract, so there is cost certainty for any team that decides to trade for him. The problem could be with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The number of teams in contention could be limited based on whether there are taxpayers or over the second apron. The changes in the CBA could impact teams trying to rebuild by getting several draft picks in return for larger contracts. The CBA will limit the way teams try to rebuild.
Jones is an even more significant risk unless there have been some assurances given to management. Some teams will want Jones as a starter or a top backup primary ballhandler like he was in Memphis. The market for Jones will be strong. If Washington doesn’t re-sign him, it will be considered a failure for Winger and the front office.
As much as NBA rebuilds require patience, Winger might need more time to build within a sensible timeline, but there’s no guarantee that Ted Leonsis will have the proper patience.
Winger’s vision for rebuilding the Wizards might not have the wiggle room that he had at him previous stops.
If the Wizards have convinced Kuzma and Jones to be foundational pieces, will they buy in, and whose idea would that be?
That sounds like an approach to appease Leonsis more than anything else.
Leonsis has been very vocal about not liking the tear-down-rebuild plan. It’s why Ernie Grunfeld and Tommy Sheppard never looked to remake the Wizards. The philosophy was to bring in mid-level veterans hoping to finish high enough to snag the 7th or 8th seed.
With Winger, fans hope that the Wizards would look for more than a round or two of playoff money and, at the very least, attempt to bring a championship-level team to the nation’s capital.
That can only happen if Winger and the front office are supported.
