Kyle Kuzma Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Rumors: Trade Targets, LeBron, Davis, Bronny, Hachimura

December 17th, 2024 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers are expected to be one of the most active buyers on the trade market during the 2024/25 season, though it remains unclear how much of their available draft capital they’re willing to move and how significant a deal they’ll make, says Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

As Buha notes, the Lakers were also considered likely to buy last season, but ultimately stood pat at the February trade deadline, choosing not to surrender a first-round pick. However, there’s hope that Golden State’s deal for Dennis Schröder (which saw the Warriors give up three second-round picks and get one back) may be a signal that teams’ asking prices for useful role players will be more modest this time around.

The Lakers are believed to be in the market for three kinds of players, according to Buha: a “physical, defensive-minded” center, a three-and-D wing, and an athletic guard with some size who can defend at the point of attack. As Buha writes, players the Lakers have been linked to in the past, including Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas and Nets wings Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, are among the targets who would make sense at this season’s deadline.

Jazz guard Collin Sexton and center Walker Kessler, Raptors swingman Bruce Brown, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and center Robert Williams, and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma are some of the other potential players of interest who have come up in Buha’s conversations with team and league sources. However, the Lakers aren’t expected to be in on former All-Stars like Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, and Brandon Ingram, Buha adds.

Here’s more on the Lakers and their approach to the trade deadline:

Unsurprisingly, the Lakers aren’t considering trading LeBron James and Anthony Davis and almost certainly wouldn’t do so unless they asked to be dealt, sources tell Buha. Other players unlikely to be moved include Austin Reaves, Max Christie, and Dalton Knecht, who are viewed as potential long-term pieces.
While Bronny James isn’t untouchable, he’s not expected to be included in a trade that doesn’t involve his father, sources tell The Athletic.
One or more of the Lakers’ four mid-sized contracts – D’Angelo Russell ($18.69MM cap hit), Rui Hachimura ($17MM), Gabe Vincent ($11MM), Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.71MM) – figures to be included in any deal of note this season. Of those players, Hachimura looks like the one the Lakers would least want to move, Buha writes, though the forward would probably also have the most trade value of the four. Russell hasn’t drawn significant interest from potential suitors during previous discussions, Vincent has dealt with injuries and has struggled offensively since joining the Lakers, and Vanderbilt has yet to make his season debut as he recovers from offseason surgeries on both feet.

Stein’s Latest: Butler, Wizards, Jazz, Nets, H. Jones, Sixers, Cavaliers

December 11th, 2024 at 6:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets, Mavericks and Warriors are the teams most often linked to a potential Jimmy Butler trade, but none of them are considered certain to make a strong bid to acquire the Heat star, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required).

Stein views Golden State as the most serious contender among the group, with sources telling him that the Warriors have expressed some interest in Butler and one informant saying the team wants to “take a swing” on a significant move by the trade deadline. Stein notes that Golden State attempted to land Paul George and Lauri Markkanen during the offseason, even though those efforts were unsuccessful. He adds that Draymond Green has experience playing alongside Butler on the U.S. Olympic team in 2016.

Houston has plenty of assets to offer in exchange for Butler, but Stein points to general manager Rafael Stone‘s stance that he doesn’t plan to pursue a major in-season trade. The Rockets have also let it be known that age considerations will be important if they do go after a star, making sure that player is on a similar timeline as the rest of their young core. That would seem to exclude any interest in the 35-year-old Butler.

Financial restraints will likely prevent the Mavericks from getting involved, Stein adds. They already have Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on max contracts, and both players will become eligible for new deals in July. Stein doesn’t believe Dallas is looking for another player like Butler, who is used to having the ball in his hands.

Butler, who has a $52.4MM player option for next season, has been open about his intention to pursue free agency. Meeting with reporters after Wednesday’s practice, he refused to commit when asked if he wants to finish his career in Miami.

“I don’t know,” he responded. “I’m pretty sure y’all are going to get a report that’s going to say otherwise anyways. So there’s no sense in me answering that question.”

Stein offers more inside information from around the NBA:

The Wizards, Jazz and Nets are the primary sellers as the league’s unofficial trade season gets set to open Sunday, with a rival executive telling Stein, “When you call them, they’re willing to make a deal right now.” Stein hears that the Raptors, Trail Blazers and Bulls are also being monitored to see if they’re interested in parting with certain players. Sources tell Stein that Brooklyn is asking for at least one first-round pick in exchange for swingman Dorian Finney-Smith or point guard Dennis Schröder. Washington is “increasingly regarded as likely” to pursue trades involving Jonas Valanciunas and Malcolm Brogdon while listening to offers for Kyle Kuzma, who is in the second season of a four-year, $90MM contract.
Sources tell Stein that the Pelicans have no interest in fielding offers for Herbert Jones despite the team’s disastrous 5-20 start. Jones is the team’s best perimeter defender and is under contract through the 2026/27 season.
The Sixers aren’t expected to be active in December, according to Stein, because their most logical trade chip — KJ Martin — doesn’t become trade eligible until January 15.
Scouts believe the Cavaliers will try to acquire at least one more wing before the deadline, Stein adds. Even though Cleveland is at the top of the East, there’s a belief that the team will need to upgrade its perimeter defense for the playoffs.

Charania’s Latest: Ingram, Jones, McCollum, Blazers, Kuzma, Durant

December 10th, 2024 at 12:55pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Pelicans and Brandon Ingram discussed an extension during the offseason, he and his representatives at Excel Sports Management were seeking $50MM per season, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Insider link). Previous reporting indicated that Ingram was pursuing a maximum-salary extension, which would’ve been worth up to $208MM over four years, so an ask of $50MM per season would’ve been in the neighborhood of his max.

As Charania explains, based on their current commitments, the Pelicans project to be $31MM below the tax in 2025/26, so re-signing Ingram to a $45MM+ starting salary would’ve pushed that figure well beyond the tax line and into apron territory, which probably isn’t feasible for a team that has never been a taxpayer.

The Pelicans value Ingram highly and are expected to keep the door open for a potential extension now that the forward has changed agents and is represented by Klutch Sports, Charania writes, but a trade is considered the more likely outcome, given the team’s financial outlook.

When New Orleans’ front office discussed possible Ingram trades over the summer, the Timberwolves were among the teams to show interest, sources tell Charania. However, a deal would’ve needed to be centered around Karl-Anthony Towns, and it likely only would’ve been viable if the two teams had reached an agreement during the 2023/24 season, before Towns’ super-max extension went into effect.

According to Charania, with the injury-plagued Pelicans off to a dismal 5-20 start this season, rival teams have begun to express interest in players like Herbert Jones and CJ McCollum. Charania doesn’t say whether or not New Orleans will consider moving either player, but I’d imagine the front office would be very reluctant to make a trade involving Jones, who is the team’s most valuable defensive player.

Here’s more from Charania:

Multiple teams have begun to express interest in veteran Trail Blazers trade candidates Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Robert Williams, sources tell Charania. Grant and Simons have gotten off to slow starts this fall and Williams has a concerning injury history, but the three players are still among Portland’s most valuable – and most logical – trade chips.
Several contending teams are expected to pursue Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma this season, Charania reports. Kuzma has been limited to just 12 outings for health reasons and has seen his offensive output dip in the early going (15.8 PPG, .420/.276/.688 shooting) but has a strong track record as a scorer and is on a contract with a team-friendly declining structure.
There’s optimism that injured Suns star Kevin Durant could return from his ankle sprain on either Friday in Utah or Sunday vs. Portland, Charania writes. While Phoenix obviously won’t want to rush back its leading scorer, it has been night and day for the team this season when Durant is available (11-2 record) and when he isn’t (1-9).
In case you missed it, we passed along a few more items from Charania earlier today in separate full stories.

Wizards Rumors: Kuzma, Valanciunas, Brogdon, Davis, Baldwin, Coulibaly

December 2nd, 2024 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards view Kyle Kuzma as a team leader who can help the team stay competitive and assist in the development of some of the young players on the roster, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. But Scotto says teams around the NBA view Kuzma as a potential trade candidate due to his skill set, the team-friendly declining structure of his contract, and the fact that he probably doesn’t fit Washington’s long-term timeline.

The Mavericks nearly traded for Kuzma at last season’s trade deadline, but the Wizards reportedly brought that opportunity to the forward, who decided to pass on it. As Scotto writes, the Pacers had some interest in Kuzma before they acquired Pascal Siakam and the Kings have also been connected to him over the past couple seasons.

While it’s unclear if any of those clubs would circle back to Kuzma at this point, Scotto hears that the Bucks, Warriors, Lakers, Heat, and Cavaliers are among the other teams that have kept tabs on the 29-year-old.

Here’s more on the Wizards:

Jonas Valanciunas and Malcolm Brogdon are among the Wizards’ veteran trade candidates being monitored by rival teams, says Scotto. According to Scotto, Valanciunas has provided the sort of veteran mentorship to No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr that Washington hoped for, going up against the rookie big man in practice and teaching him things on both sides of the ball.
While the Wizards have a few trade candidates to watch, Scotto suggests that second-round picks may not move the needle much for the front office, especially if they come attached to bad contracts. Washington has already stockpiled several extra second-rounders and turned down offers consisting of second-round picks for Tyus Jones at last season’s deadline, Scotto adds.
Johnny Davis and Patrick Baldwin Jr., both of whom are on expiring contracts after having their 2025/26 team options declined in October, were shopped on the trade market prior to the season and are potential salary fillers for in-season deals, per Scotto.
Although Bilal Coulibaly has taken a step forward in his second NBA season, the 20-year-old is still adjusting to being relied upon as a two-way threat, according to Varun Shankar of The Washington Post, who notes that the Wizards forward’s offensive production has slipped following a hot start. “It’s been a lot thrown at me,” said Coulibaly, who has averaged 8.8 points per game with a .377/.208/.667 shooting line in his past nine games after putting up 17.0 PPG on .575/.387/.828 shooting in his first eight. “But I got to go through it because that’s what I want to do in my future, in the near future. I want to be a great two-way player. … I’ll take it.”

Southeast Notes: J. Johnson, Valanciunas, Kuzma, Heat

November 29th, 2024 at 7:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Fresh off signing a five-year, $150MM contract extension with the Hawks last month, Jalen Johnson has taken on an increased role so far this season, earning more touches and more play-making responsibilities, as Spencer Davies writes for RG.org.

Entering Friday’s game vs. Cleveland, Johnson was averaging 20.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.4 steals in 36.4 minutes per game — all of those numbers are career highs. He didn’t miss a beat on Friday, contributing 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in a second consecutive win over the NBA’s top-seeded Cavaliers. He was a game-high +17 in his 35 minutes of action.

“Just a guy like him to be able to play with so much confidence, drive to the basket, dunk on people, make threes, make plays for other guys,” Hawks center Clint Capela told Davies. “It’s been very high level for our team. It’s been getting our team to a different scale.”

Asked about how Johnson can continue improving, Capela suggested consistency is a crucial next step, while head coach Quin Snyder said he wants to see the fourth-year forward continue making strides on defense. The general consensus is that Johnson’s ceiling is even higher than what he has shown so far.

“He’s young, so he can get better in everything honestly,” teammate De’Andre Hunter told Davies. “He still has a lot of room to grow. I think overall he can just keep expanding his game like he has, and he’s gonna continue to reach new heights.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Jonas Valanciunas is the Wizards player who is most likely to be traded this season, league sources tell Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. Valanciunas has frequently been linked to the Lakers, who had interest in him in free agency, but L.A. won’t be the only team in the market for a big man at the trade deadline. Helin speculates that clubs like Phoenix, Indiana, and Miami could also be seeking frontcourt depth.
Kyle Kuzma sprained a rib on Wednesday and will miss at least a couple games, according to Wizards head coach Brian Keefe, who said the veteran forward isn’t expected to suit up for Saturday’s game in Milwaukee or Tuesday’s contest in Cleveland (Twitter link via Josh Robbins of The Athletic).
Despite both battling back issues this week, Heat swingman Jimmy Butler and forward/center Kevin Love were cleared to play on Friday vs. Toronto, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald tweets. Love was the first player off the bench for Miami.

Wizards Notes: Poole, Wembanyama, Stock Watch, Rookies

November 15th, 2024 at 8:18pm CST by Rory Maher

After a forgettable first season with the Wizards, Jordan Poole is off to a much better start in year two, writes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. Despite losing Wednesday’s game in San Antonio, Poole was terrific, recording 42 points on 15-of-22 shooting, six assists, two rebounds and two steals.

As Shankar notes, Poole opened last season as the starting shooting guard, but after struggling for much of 2023/24, head coach Brian Keefe moved him to the bench to be a primary play-maker. Poole returned to the starting lineup as point guard late last season when Tyus Jones was injured, and he’s happy to have more on-ball opportunities again in ’24/25.

“I think [this game] is the perfect example [of the benefits of switching to point guard],” Poole said after Wednesday’s 42-point outburst.

Through 10 games (30.7 MPG), the 25-year-old is averaging 22.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 4.4 APG, 2.3 SPG and 0.7 BPG, with an efficient shooting line of .457/.444/.923. Several of those statistics represent career highs.

Here’s more on the Wizards:

In the draft lottery in 2023, the Wizards were one ping-pong ball away from landing the No. 1 overall pick and the chance to select French phenom Victor Wembanyama. On Wednesday, he showed them what they missed by pouring in a career-high 50 points on 18-of-29 shooting, including going 8-of-16 from long distance, Shankar writes for The Post. While they have some promising young talent, Washington lacks a clear-cut star to build around like Wembanyama, Shankar notes.
Poole and second-year forward Bilal Coulibaly are among the Wizards whose stock is up through 10 games, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who says Alex Sarr and Kyle Kuzma are trending in the opposite direction early on in ’24/25. Washington’s 2-8 record is actually good thing for the future, Robbins adds, as the team needs to secure another high lottery pick for a 2025 draft class that is viewed as having plenty of high-end talent.
Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network shares some early statistical trends for the Wizards’ trio of rookie first-round picks — Sarr, Carlton Carrington and Kyshawn George.

Southeast Notes: Butler, Kuzma, Young, Nance Jr.

November 11th, 2024 at 5:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jimmy Butler will miss his second straight game and the Heat‘s NBA Cup opener in Detroit on Tuesday, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel tweets.

Butler, who has not appeared in more than 65 regular season games in any of the last six seasons due to a variety of injuries, is dealing with an ankle sprain. The star swingman has a $52.4MM player option after this season and Miami’s front office was reluctant to discuss a maximum-salary extension over the summer due to his injury history.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Kyle Kuzma is back in action on Monday after missing the last five games with a groin strain, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets. Kuzma had been averaging 17 points on 32.7% shooting through three games prior to the injury. The Wizards have lost their four games without him.
Trae Young has been playing more off the ball to make the Hawks’ offense less predictable, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “When I am off the ball, guys are worried about me and they’re connected to me and on my body,” Young said. “So it allows teammates to have a lot of space to go and create for themselves and others, too.” Now it’s up to his teammates to make it work. “We’re not always waiting for Trae to create for everyone, but to learn to create for each other,” Bogdan Bogdanović said. “So he’s going to continue to do what he does the best. But, we need to come together and increase that level of creation as a team.“ Young is listed as out for Tuesday’s game against Boston due to right Achilles tendinitis, Brad Rowland tweets.
Larry Nance Jr. could be an attractive trade candidate, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic tweets. The veteran forward has been a valuable reserve for the Hawks after being included in the blockbuster trade that sent Dejounte Murray to New Orleans. Nance, playing on his fifth team, has an $11MM expiring contract.

Wizards Notes: Coulibaly, Brogdon, Kuzma, George

October 31st, 2024 at 8:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Second-year Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly had the best game of his young NBA career on Wednesday, scoring 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting while also contributing nine rebounds and three steals in a 13-point win over Atlanta. Washington outscored the Hawks by 23 points during his time on the court.

It was the second time in the first four games of the season that Coulibaly established a new career high in points — he scored 23 on Saturday vs. Cleveland, exceeding last season’s high of 21.

“I feel like (confidence) is the main thing,” Coulibaly said of his strong start to the season, per Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. “Basketball is, for me, probably 60 percent basketball skills and 40 percent confidence. … I’m really confident right now, and I’m playing well.”

Coulibaly, who turned 20 in July, was the seventh overall pick in 2023, making him the first player drafted by the current Wizards front office led by Michael Winger and Will Dawkins. The team envisions him as a long-term cornerstone and head coach Brian Keefe is eager to give the youngster more responsibilities as long as he continues to show he can handle them.

“We want to put the ball in his hands more,” Keefe said. “… We think he’s a play-maker, he can get on the rim, he forces a lot of pressure.”

Here’s more on the Wizards:

Veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon, who underwent thumb surgery earlier in October, spoke to the media on Wednesday for the first time since going under the knife (Twitter video link via Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network). Brogdon said he has talked to former teammates who suffered the same injury, including Anfernee Simons and Caris LeVert, and that those conversations helped reassure him that the recovery process shouldn’t extend too far into the season. “I think the biggest thing I’ve taken away from talking to a few guys that have done it is, ‘Don’t let it get in your head, don’t get too down, because you’re going to be right back,'” Brogdon said. “So this will be a quick turnaround.”
Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma will remain sidelined for the team’s Mexico City game on Saturday vs. Miami due to his groin strain, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The injury, which occurred on Monday, kept Kuzma out of action for Wednesday’s win.
Rookie guard Kyshawn George, one of the Wizards’ three first-round picks, said he has grown from 6’5″ to 6’8″ over the past 15 months or so, tweets Hughes. George added that he thinks he’ll get to 6’10” before he stops growing.
In case you missed it, the Wizards are declining their 2025/26 rookie scale team options on Johnny Davis and Patrick Baldwin, making them the only team to turn down multiple rookie scale options by this year’s October 31 deadline.

Southeast Notes: Banchero, Hawks, Kuzma, Coulibaly, Wizards, Hornets

October 30th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Magic are off to a strong 3-1 start this season, led by forward Paolo Banchero, who ranks first on the team in points (28.5 PPG) and assists (6.0 APG) and second in rebounds (9.3 RPG).

Banchero filled up the stat sheet on Monday in the best game of his career, compiling 50 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists in a narrow home victory over Indiana. The 21-year-old became the youngest player to record at least 50 points and 10 rebounds in a game since LeBron James did it at age 20 in March 2005, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.

“It was one of those games where you’re just watching and you’re coaching but you’re sitting there just enjoying his process and watching a great player perform,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said.

Orlando exercised its fourth-year option for the 2025/26 season on Banchero earlier this month. That option will guarantee the former No. 1 overall pick a $15.3MM salary next season, but his continued ascent puts him on track for a much larger payday in the not-too-distant future — he’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension beginning in July 2025 and seems likely to receive a maximum-salary offer from the Magic at that time.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

The Hawks‘ depth is being tested just one week into the 2024/25 season, writes Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta issued injury updates on four players on Tuesday and also didn’t have Onyeka Okongwu (left big toe injury management) or De’Andre Hunter (right knee inflammation) available for Monday’s loss to Washington. The good news is that Okongwu isn’t on the injury report for Wednesday’s rematch in D.C., while Hunter is considered questionable.
Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma sustained a right groin strain in Monday’s game against Atlanta, according to the team (Twitter link). While it’s unclear how much time he might miss as a result of the injury, Kuzma has been ruled out at least for Wednesday’s rematch vs. the Hawks.
Four rival NBA talent evaluators who spoke to Josh Robbins of The Athletic about 2023 lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly are intrigued by his potential but view the Wizards forward as someone whose future is difficult to project. “I’m not ruling him in or out in terms of whether he was a good pick. (It’s) too soon,” one scout said. “But I’d say the arrow’s pointing upward.”
The Wizards‘ and Hornets‘ G League affiliates have formally announced their training camp rosters. The Capital City Go-Go’s squad includes former NBA lottery pick Kira Lewis Jr. and five-year NBA veteran Jaylen Nowell, while 10-year NBA veteran Kent Bazemore is the most notable name in camp with the Greensboro Swarm.

Wizards Notes: Kuzma, Brogdon, Poole, George

October 6th, 2024 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Kyle Kuzma had an opportunity to be traded to Dallas at last season’s deadline, but he opted to remain with the Wizards, even though they were at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and are probably several years away from contending. Although the Mavericks reached the NBA Finals, Kuzma said in an interview with Josh Robbins of The Athletic that he doesn’t have any regrets about his decision.

“Absolutely not,” Kuzma responded. “A big part of the Mavericks becoming who they were was getting an extra center and a forward. If I would’ve went there, that wouldn’t have happened, getting two impact players. And when you look at who won the championship, it wasn’t a team with (just) three or four players; it was a team with six or seven really good players.”

Trade rumors continue to swirl around Kuzma, who is the most accomplished player on a very young team. At age 29 and with a declining contract over the next three seasons ($23.5MM, $21.5MM and $19.4MM), Kuzma will have plenty of trade value if Washington decides to move him. But he’s also happy staying where he is and being a team leader.

“We’re laying a foundation of how we want to play, how we want to be perceived on the court, what kind of team you’re going to get when you play the Wizards,” he added. “I see that vision. I’m optimistic of that trajectory, regardless of whatever our record is.”

There’s more on the Wizards:

Malcolm Brogdon injured his shooting hand during Saturday’s practice, head coach Brian Keefe said (Twitter link from Robbins). Brogdon will return to Washington for medical imaging to determine how serious the injury is.
With Tyus Jones lost in free agency, Jordan Poole will take over as the Wizards’ primary ball-handler, according to Bijan Todd of Monumental Sports Network. Keefe told reporters that Poole has been embracing his new role at training camp. “He’s been great,” Keefe said. “Pushing the ball, playing with pace, sharing it, touching the paint, creating for others. Exactly the stuff we want him doing.”
After growing up near Montreal, rookie Kyshawn George is thrilled to be making his preseason debut tonight in the city, per Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. George played collegiately at Miami (Florida), so it’s been a while since much of his family has been able to watch him in person.