The Washington Wizards were widely touted as not seriously considering a trade of Kyle Kuzma at the deadline, but sources tell The Athletic that the came “close” to agreeing to one offer.
The offer almost certainly came from the Dallas Mavericks, who instead acquired Daniel Gafford from the Wizards as well as PJ Washington from the Charlotte Hornets.
The Wizards were seeking at least two first round picks in order to trade Kuzma.
Washington values Kuzma’s play and off-court intangibles more than what the market dictated.
Kuzma’s contract descends each year, dropping from $23.5 million for 2024-25 to $21.5 million in 2025-26 to $19.4 million in 2026-27.