Kyle Kuzma
It seems that for the past two seasons, there have always been the stray reports or whispers of the possibility of Kyle Kuzma being traded. However, for one reason or another, the Washington Wizards have elected to not pull the trigger on a deal. Heading into this year's trade deadline, there are still some of those same whispers. Perhaps not as strong as they've been in the past, but Kuzma's name has still managed to pop up in the rumor mill over the last couple of months. Heading into the trade deadline, there's at least a small chance he will end up being moved.
Considering that the Wizards have officially pivoted to a new build and a new era for the franchise, I do believe this could finally be the right time for the team to move on. I'm not certain it will exactly happen at this year's trade deadline, but everything does seem set up for it to finally happen. If the Wizards don't have an outlandish asking price for Kuzma ahead of the deadline, this could finally be the year where both sides are willing and able to move on from each other.
Prediction: Sacramento Kings
When it comes to Kuzma, I'd look or consider any desperate team to be interested. While there are a few teams that could meet that criteria, I do believe the Sacramento Kings are one to keep a close eye on. If the Kings miss out on a player like Cam Johnson, who they've been rumored to be interested in, I could envision them pivoting toward a player like Kuzma. The Kings can't afford not to make a move at the trade deadline with all the uncertainty they could be facing after this season and believe Kuzma could still be on their radar.
If it comes to a point where there simply aren't a ton of moves available to the team, I can absolutely envision the Kings getting to the point where they're willing to burn a first-round pick for Kuzma at the deadline. For a team that will be looking for a spark down the stretch, there's reason to believe that the offensive-minded wing or forward could be the answer. Add in the fact that Kuzma would benefit from a change of scenery too at this point in his career, and it's easy to see why they could be a clear match for each other.