NBA Rumors: There are several contenders expected to line up to pursue a trade they probably shouldn't be pursuing at the NBA Trade Deadline.
The Washington Wizards are expected to be one of the most aggressive sellers at the NBA Trade Deadline. There's a case to be made that there are a few veterans on their roster who can truly help a contender down the stretch. However, one of their most highly-touted veterans does come with plenty of risk. In fact, the argument could be made that any contenders in the market for help in the frontcourt should be wary of pursuing a deal for Kyle Kuzma. The early indications are that there could be a healthy market for the flawed forward.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, there are several contenders who are expected to pursue Kuzma via trade. While it may seem like a natural move for many teams to want to identify a player who could provide a lift for the team before the NBA Trade Deadline, I'm not quite sure Kuzma is the right move for the majority of contending teams. I'd suggest that trading for Kuzma could be considered a terrible move for most, if not all, contenders.
Why trading for Kyle Kuzma would be considered a mistake
Most contending teams that will be in the market for depth in the frontcourt probably shouldn't be targeting Kuzma for several reasons. For one, Kuzma's contract isn't an easy pill to swallow. It's a big investment and while it's not exactly a huge problem, there are many teams that won't be able to easily absorb two years and $40-plus million after this season. Second, there's his inconsistent play throughout his career on both ends of the floor.
For the majority of his career, Kuzma has always left much to be desired on the defensive end of the floor. This season, you can probably say the same about his offensive game too. He's battled injuries for much of the season (he's already missed 10 games) but when he has been on the floor, Kuzma has struggled. On pace to have the least productive and efficient season of his career, Kuzma is averaging 16 points and six rebounds on 28 percent shooting from 3-point range.
The argument could be made that a fresh start on a contender could be the exact change or spark that Kuzma needs at this point in his career but there's no question that trading for Kuzma would be a huge gamble on several fronts. And to be completely honest, I'm not sure there are many contenders that are a Kuzma acquisition away from winning a title.
Kuzma wouldn't be considered the worst trade candidate on the market but he is one of the biggest risks when you consider his contract and weaknesses as a player. Oh, and that doesn't even include the likely high asking price the Wizards are going to have for Kuzma. It's probably in the best interest of most contenders to avoid pursuing a trade for Kuzma. Then again, all it takes is one desperate team to take the plunge.