Kyle Kuzma Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Seventeen More Players Become Trade-Eligible

January 15th, 2024 at 7:02am CST by Luke Adams

Today is Monday, January 15, which means that a total of 17 players who signed free agent contracts meeting specific criteria this past offseason are now eligible to be traded.

Most offseason signees became trade-eligible on December 15, but players who met the following criteria were ineligible to be moved for an extra month:

The player re-signed with his previous team.
He got a raise of at least 20%.
His salary is worth more than the minimum.
His team was over the cap and used Bird or Early Bird rights to sign him.

The following players met that criteria and are eligible to be traded as of Monday:

Miles Bridges (Hornets) *
Ayo Dosunmu (Bulls)
Jerami Grant (Trail Blazers)
Rui Hachimura (Lakers)
Cameron Johnson (Nets)
Herbert Jones (Pelicans)
Tre Jones (Spurs)
Kyle Kuzma (Wizards)
Brook Lopez (Bucks)
Trey Lyles (Kings)
Jakob Poeltl (Raptors)
Austin Reaves (Lakers)
Paul Reed (Sixers) *
Matisse Thybulle (Trail Blazers) *
Moritz Wagner (Magic)
P.J. Washington (Hornets)
Coby White (Bulls)

(* Players marked with an asterisk have the ability to veto trades.)

Most of the players on NBA rosters are now eligible to be moved, though a small handful still can’t be dealt. That group includes Heat guard Dru Smith, who becomes trade-eligible on Monday, Hornets guard Ish Smith (trade-eligible on January 24), Lakers star Anthony Davis (trade-eligible on February 6), and Pistons forward Kevin Knox (trade-eligible on Feb. 8).

There are also several players who won’t become trade-eligible prior to this season’s February 8 deadline, including stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Jaylen Brown. Players on 10-day contracts are also ineligible to be dealt.

Kings Rumors: Siakam, LaVine, Kuzma, Monk, Murray, Ellis

January 10th, 2024 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

When the Kings and Raptors discussed a possible Pascal Siakam trade, the two teams are believed to have talked about a package that would have included Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, Davion Mitchell, and a first-round pick, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype said on the latest episode of the HoopsHype podcast.

Shams Charania reported earlier in the week that Sacramento wanted to get a deal done quickly and pulled out of those talks when Toronto didn’t immediately accept the Kings’ initial offer. However, James Ham of The Kings Beat and ESPN 1320, appearing with Scotto on the HoopsHype podcast, said he thinks the Kings would still be in on Siakam if they felt more confident about their chances of re-signing him.

While Ham hasn’t been able to independently confirm the reporting of his ESPN 1320 colleague Damien Barling, he told Scotto that Barling has heard from his sources that Siakam made it clear he wouldn’t re-sign with Sacramento if the team were to acquire him.

Reports dating back to June have suggested that Siakam would be unwilling to re-sign with a team that trades for him — or at least would maintain that stance. The two-time All-Star would be eligible for a super-max contract during the 2024 offseason if he makes an All-NBA team this season, but only if he’s still a Raptor, as a trade would make him ineligible. With those financial considerations in mind, it makes some sense that Siakam might want to dissuade teams from trading for him.

It’s also worth noting that Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca reported over the weekend that the Kings aren’t interested in giving Siakam a standard (non super-max) maximum-salary contract. If that’s accurate and that was conveyed to the 29-year-old, it could also explain why he’d be hesitant to commit to Sacramento.

Here’s more on the Kings from Scotto and Ham:

Scotto has heard that the Kings and Bulls at least briefly discussed Zach LaVine earlier in the season. Barnes and Huerter came up in those talks, according to Scotto, who adds that Chicago likes Huerter and has done some background research on him. However, Ham is unconvinced that LaVine is a top target for Sacramento, given Mike Brown‘s focus on defense and LaVine’s massive contract.
Ham views Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma as a player who might be a better fit for Sacramento, noting that he has a more modest contract and pointing out that the Kings nearly traded Buddy Hield to the Lakers during the 2021 offseason for a package that would’ve included Kuzma. The team also had interest in Kuzma this past offseason, per Ham, but ultimately decided to extend Barnes to address the power forward position.
The Kings will hold Early Bird rights on Malik Monk when he reaches free agency this offseason, giving them the ability to offer up to $78MM over four years. Ham isn’t sure if that will be enough to retain the sharpshooting guard, who is averaging a career-best 14.8 points per game and a 41.2% three-point percentage, noting that he expects Monk to “chase money” if he gets an offer well above what Sacramento could put on the table. For what it’s worth, I’d be a little surprised if there’s a team willing to offer Monk much more than $20MM per year, but we’ll see how his season – and the market – plays out.
Ham says he asked a team source last year whether the Kings would be willing to trade Keegan Murray in a deal for Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen and was told, “No, we believe he’ll be better than Markkanen.”
While Ham doesn’t expect the Kings to fill their 15th roster spot with a rest-of-season signing prior to the trade deadline, he views two-way player Keon Ellis as a prime candidate to claim that spot if it’s still open after the deadline. “They have a lot of faith in who he is as a player and what he’s becoming,” Ham said of Ellis.

Fischer’s Latest: Hawks, Murray, Knicks, Wizards, Celtics

January 5th, 2024 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

Echoing recent reporting from Adrian Wojnarowski, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports confirms that the Hawks are “certainly open for business” ahead of the trade deadline and says Atlanta has been one of the NBA’s most active teams in recent trade conversations.

According to Fischer, the Hawks have told multiple teams in recent discussions that the only untouchable players on their roster are guard Trae Young and forward Jalen Johnson. Notably missing from that group is guard Dejounte Murray, whom Atlanta has “made widely available,” sources tell Yahoo Sports.

While the pairing of Murray and Young in their backcourt hasn’t been as successful as the Hawks hoped, the former Spur would presumably still have significant value on the trade market, in large part due to the relatively team-friendly four-year extension he signed during the offseason. That deal, which begins in 2024/25, can be worth up to $120MM with incentives.

Pointing out that the Hawks control their own 2024 first-round pick and owe their 2025 first-rounder to San Antonio, Fischer suggests that it’s possible the team will move some veterans this year, add a 2024 lottery pick to a core headed by Young and Johnson, and look to get back to the playoffs next season.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Knicks made some calls to potential trade partners about veteran big men following Mitchell Robinson‘s injury, per Fischer, but after they added Precious Achiuwa in their trade with Toronto, rival executives now think the Knicks may be more focused on exploring backcourt trade targets ahead of the deadline. Fischer mentions Alec Burks of the Pistons and Malcolm Brogdon of the Trail Blazers as a couple possibilities, though it’s unclear if New York has actually expressed interest in either player.
The Wizards have let teams know that they’re open to trading veterans for draft assets, sources tell Fischer. That list of veterans may include Kyle Kuzma, who signed a new four-year contract with the club last summer, though there’s a sense that Washington would seek multiple first-rounders for the forward, Fischer writes.
The Celtics are expected to hang onto big man Luke Kornet through this weekend’s salary guarantee date, according to Fischer, who says that the team’s other non-guaranteed players – Svi Mykhailiuk, Dalano Banton, and Lamar Stevens – are also more likely than not to stick around through that deadline. Fischer adds that rival front offices are preparing for Boston to explore trades that improve the team’s bench.
In case you missed it, we also rounded up a few Pascal Siakam-related rumors from Fischer in a separate story.

Wizards Notes: Poole, Kispert, Shamet, Kuzma

December 23rd, 2023 at 10:37am CST by Tristan Tucker

It’s been difficult for Wizards guard Jordan Poole to adjust to Washington on the court, as he’s averaging 17.5 points on 40.8% shooting from the floor while taking 15.1 field-goal attempts per game. However, as Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes, he’s been an excellent fit off the court for his new team.

“He’s always got a smile on his face,” teammate Corey Kispert said. “He can talk to anybody. Off the court, he’s just a ray of light. He always brings good energy, and it’s good to see Jordan every single day when I walk into the building. I know I can count on him to pick me up if I’m not feeling great.”

While Poole has been rough on defense and inconsistent on offense, he’s approaching this season with a positive outlook, Robbins writes.

“This is the most that they’ve been on me other than the playoffs or the finals,” Poole said. “I think it’s awesome, honestly, just to feel that over the course of the game how teams are over and over and over night-in, night-out coming out with physicality because that’s what’s in their game plan. That’s what coaches think would be a good way to slow me down. So, I’m embracing it, learning from it, growing from it.”

It’s evident that despite their 5-23 record as of Saturday, Poole and his teammates have established solid chemistry.

“Porzingis was the same way — kind of a pleasant surprise in the same way,” Kispert said. “We all heard a lot of rumors of him coming from Dallas and the things that happened there. And then when he showed up in our locker room, he immediately took me by surprise, and he treated everyone great. Anybody off the team or in my circle of friends back home who were asking me about him — I could only say positive things about him. And Jordan’s been the same way: [He’s] been an absolute pleasure to be a teammate of and to get to know.”

In another story about Poole’s acclimation, The Washington Post’s Ava Wallace writes about the guard’s specific adjustments to his game and the switch from Golden State to Washington. Wallace points out that Poole is no stranger to this, as it took him two years to find his groove with the Warriors.

“You’ve got to just keep going, every day. The plan is the plan,” Poole said. “Someone just told me that the other day, and I kind of like it. Everything will pan itself out, you know? You’ve just got to keep doing what you’re doing as long as you’re doing it with the right intent, which I believe in 100 percent. It’s just a matter of time.”

We have more from the Wizards:

While Kispert’s efficiency on three-pointers is down so far this season — to 37.4% from 42.4% in 2022/23 on roughly the same attempts per game — Wallace writes that he has shown improvements in other areas of his game. Kispert has improved as a play-maker and off-ball mover, Wallace observes, and he’s taking smarter shots. “The growth doesn’t change no matter what my output says in the box score,” Kispert said. “I still feel it. I still know it. Obviously, I can’t let it discourage me. But some things are just out of my control as a player, and that’s just kind of the way things go.“
Guard Landry Shamet missed eight games in a row for the Wizards but made his return Friday against the Warriors (Twitter link via Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network). Shamet played just 13 minutes in his return and didn’t score.
Forward Kyle Kuzma exited Washington’s Friday game against the Warriors with right knee soreness and did not return (Twitter link via the team). However, Andscape’s Marc J. Spears tweets that Kuzma told him that he expects to be ready for the Wizards’ next game (vs. the Magic on Tuesday).

Fischer’s Latest: Capela, Hunter, Quickley, Wizards, Rockets

December 22nd, 2023 at 8:50pm CST by Rory Maher

There was minimal trade chatter at the NBA’s annual G League Showcase this week, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Still, the Hawks are among the teams worth keeping an eye on, according to Fischer, who says Atlanta still seems to be open to dealing Clint Capela and De’Andre Hunter.

A veteran Swiss big man, Capela is averaging a double-double (11.8 PPG and 10.7 RPG in 26 games) for the seventh straight season. He’s making $20.6MM this season and will earn $22.3MM in 2024/25. Fifth-year forward Hunter, meanwhile, will make $90MM over the next four years after inking a rookie scale extension prior to 2022/23.

The news isn’t surprising, since both players were involved in rumors over the summer and the Hawks have had a pretty disappointing start to the 2023/24 campaign. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto has heard similarly.

While Scotto recently reported that the Knicks would consider trading Immanuel Quickley if the right deal presents itself, Fischer hears the fourth-year guard’s name “has been virtually absent” from early trade talks. Perhaps that will change in the next several weeks leading up to the deadline, but it seems to indicate New York isn’t actively shopping Quickley.

Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up:

The 5-22 Wizards look like prime candidates to be sellers at the deadline in the first year of their rebuild, according to Fischer. Daniel Gafford, Kyle Kuzma and Tyus Jones are among the players who could net positive returns. Rival teams value Kuzma’s contract (four years, $90MM), and the Wizards could get “legitimate first-round capital” if they move the veteran forward, Fischer writes. Opposing executives also think Washington might be able to land a first-round pick for Jones, who is making $14MM in the final year of his deal.
The Wizards will likely receive calls on former lottery picks Corey Kispert and Deni Avdija as well, Fischer adds, but it’s unclear if Washington is interested in dealing them. Avdijia, in particular, would be difficult to trade due to the poison pill provision. According to Fischer, rivals are skeptical Jordan Poole would fetch a “worthwhile return” due to his early-season struggles and pricey long-term contract (he’s owed $123MM+ over the next four years).
The Rockets could be in the market for a backup center, sources tell Fischer. As Fischer explains, free agent addition Jock Landale hasn’t secured a rotation spot, averaging just 8.5 MPG in his 16 appearances, and the team might seek an upgrade behind Alperen Sengun.

Southeast Notes: Magic, Martin, Young, Coulibaly

December 10th, 2023 at 1:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Three starters and another rotation player sat out Friday’s game with injuries, but the Magic barely missed them in a 32-point win over Detroit, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. With Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr. and Jonathan Isaac all unavailable, Orlando got production from Caleb Houstan, Chuma Okeke, Anthony Black and Goga Bitadze, who made his 17th straight start since Carter fractured the third metacarpal in left hand.

“We’ve said it from training camp and on, it’s a ‘we.’ No matter who it is, no matter who steps on that floor, they’re ready to go,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “That’s what it says about our coaching staff, about these guys taking ownership of who we are.”

The Magic have shown tremendous depth and resilience in response to the bad injury luck, posting a 15-7 record that has them tied for second in the Eastern Conference. Mosley has been particularly impressed with Black, a rookie guard who was moved into the starting lineup when Fultz began experiencing left knee tendinitis in early November.

“He’s a kid that wants to take on every challenge,” Mosley said. “He does things that I haven’t seen certain guys do in a while with his length and size. That’s where his confidence comes from.”

Mosley didn’t provide many details about Suggs’ right ankle sprain, Beede tweets, saying team doctors are going to monitor how much he improves from game to game.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Injuries have also been an issue for the Heat, who were missing three starters in Friday’s loss to Cleveland, notes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Miami has dropped five of its last seven games, but Caleb Martin doesn’t believe being short-handed should be used as an excuse. “It doesn’t matter who’s out there and who’s playing, who’s not,” Martin said. “We know what we should be doing, we just got to be better.”
Hawks guard Trae Young has been fined $25K for “confronting and directing inappropriate language toward a game official,” the league announced (via Twitter). The incident took place after Wednesday’s one-point loss to Brooklyn as Young thought he was fouled by Dennis Smith Jr. while trying to get off a potential game-winning shot (Twitter video link). The league’s last-two-minute review confirmed that Smith’s play was legal, tweets Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com.
Wizards rookie Bilal Coulibaly studies a lot of game film to see where he can improve, and he concentrates on Kyle Kuzma as much as himself, according to Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports. “I watch the whole game to see how he plays. There’s a lot to take,” Coulibaly said of his teammate. “He’s been talking to me a lot about eventually going through the guy when going up for the layup. He’s got some great advice for me.”

Warriors Notes: Moody, Thompson, Green, Paul, Payton

November 29th, 2023 at 5:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

Moses Moody hit several big shots in the fourth quarter Tuesday night, but he wasn’t on the floor for the closing minutes as the Warriors fell to the Kings. That’s something coach Steve Kerr may have to change if the third-year guard remains productive, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.

Moody scored 11 points in the first seven minutes of the quarter, making all four of his shot attempts. However, Kerr opted to replace him with Andrew Wiggins with 4:26 remaining.

“Moses was awesome tonight,” Kerr said. “We needed (Wiggins) on the floor for defense against (De’Aaron) Fox, and we decided to go with Klay (Thompson) and our vets. We thought about keeping him out there. But we made the move that we made.”

Kerr’s loyalty to his veterans cost the Warriors an important division game and a possibly a chance to reach the in-season tournament quarterfinals, according to Marcus Thompson. With Moody and rookie Brandin Podziemski both playing well, Thompson believes Kerr will eventually have to trust them with a game on the line.

There’s more on the Warriors:

Stephen Curry remains as productive as ever, but Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are no longer playing at a championship level, contends Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. He notes that Thompson has been forcing shots and can’t stay in front of quicker players on defense, while Green’s intensity has been out of control lately, resulting in a five-game suspension for an incident with Rudy Gobert and a near ejection for mocking the officials in Tuesday’s game. O’Connor’s recommendation is for the Warriors to shake up their roster with a trade, using Chris Paul‘s salary and some of their young talent. He suggests targets such as the Raptors‘ Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, the Bulls‘ Alex Caruso, the Wizards‘ Kyle Kuzma, or possibly Lauri Markkanen from the Jazz or Kawhi Leonard or Paul George from the Clippers if those teams continue to struggle.
Golden State could be heading toward a difficult place with Thompson if he can’t shake his early-season slump, observes Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle. Thompson has an expiring contract, and if he can’t prove that he’s worth the four-year, $220MM extension that he reportedly expects, his only choices next summer will be to either leave the Warriors or re-sign for significantly less.
A pair of injuries added to the team’s woes in Tuesday’s loss, notes Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Paul was ruled out with lower left leg soreness shortly after halftime, and Gary Payton II hobbled to the locker room with a right calf injury late in the third quarter.

Wes Unseld Jr.’s Job With Wizards Not In Jeopardy

November 17th, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

After finishing with a 35-47 record in each of the last two seasons, the Wizards are off to a 2-9 start in 2023/24. However, third-year head coach Wes Unseld Jr.‘s job with the organization isn’t in any immediate danger, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

Given that Washington missed the playoffs in Unseld’s first two years with the team and then overhauled the front office this past offseason, there was a sense that it may just be a matter of time before the new decision-makers, including team president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins, bring in their own coach.

However, Robbins says that management is prepared to give Unseld “significant leeway” this season, since player development – rather than winning games – will be the main goal in the short term. Although the Wizards have lost nine of their first 11 games, key young players such as rookie wing Bilal Coulibaly and recently extended forward Deni Avdija have taken steps forward in the first few weeks of this season, Robbins observes.

Coulibaly is shooting the ball well (.523 FG%, .471 3PT%) and handling challenging defensive assignments while logging 25.7 minutes per night. Avdija, who received a four-year, $55MM contract just before the season began, has been a full-time starter and is averaging career highs in PPG (12.7), APG (3.9), FG% (.519), and 3PT% (.412), among other statistical categories.

Winger and Dawkins have also asked Unseld to help Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma get comfortable with being Washington’s go-to offensive options, Robbins says. While Poole’s play has been shaky so far this season, the front office didn’t expect his transition from complementary player in Golden State to primary scorer in D.C. to be seamless, so they’re willing to be patient.

As Robbins acknowledges, the pieces on the Wizards’ roster don’t all fit together smoothly, especially from a defensive standpoint, which may make it more challenging for management to evaluate Unseld’s performance and determine whether he’s the long-term answer as the club’s head coach. The team has no desire to make a change in the near future, but Unseld’s future in Washington beyond the 2023/24 season isn’t assured, Robbins adds.

Even though the Wizards have exercised Unseld’s option for 2024/25, that only guarantees that he’ll be paid next season — not necessarily that he’ll still be on the sidelines, Robbins writes. That decision may come down to how the Wizards’ youngsters develop and the strides that players like Poole and Kuzma make in their new roles during the rest of this season.

Wizards Notes: Draft Picks, Avdija, Poole, Gafford

October 29th, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Wizards have plenty of extra second-round picks at their disposal and finding diamonds of the rough could be the blueprint for the franchise, Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network writes. Jordan Poole, Kyle Kuzma and Tyus Jones were late first-rounders and Daniel Gafford was a second-round selection, Hughes notes, and they had to earn their second contracts.

Those players could show future late selections how to make their mark.

“There are so many players that come into this league and they’re given the keys from day one… I had to go take it. I had to have irrational confidence in myself,” Kuzma said. “That kind of just took me on my entire journey. I think it’s all about taking things. You can be patient and have poise, but at some point there’s another dude on the team who wants to be where I want to be.”

We have more on the Wizards:

After signing a four-year rookie scale extension worth $55MM, Deni Avdija seems a lot more relaxed and confident. Against Memphis on Saturday, he made two of his three 3-point tries and finished with 10 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks, Josh Robbins of The Athletic notes. “I feel really confident in it,” Avdija said of his 3-point shot.
While they’ve gone into a full rebuild, the Wizards do believe they’ll be fun to watch this season. Poole said as much after defeating the Grizzlies in the home opener. “You can feel that [D.C. fans] like basketball,” Poole told Hughes. “They love basketball, they love the entertainment and we’ve got some entertaining players. It will be really exciting.” Poole, acquired from Golden State, energized the fans in his home debut with 27 points.
Gafford is listed as questionable for Monday’s game against Boston due to a left ankle sprain, Robbins tweets.

Wizards Notes: Coulibaly, Gill, Avdija, Omoruyi, Lineup

October 13th, 2023 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

It raised some eyebrows around the NBA when the Wizards traded up to No. 7 in June’s draft to nab French forward Bilal Coulibaly, who played second fiddle to Victor Wembanyama for the Metropolitans 92 last season. But Coulibaly, the NBA’s third-youngest player, has impressed the team with his poise and maturity so far this fall, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

“I think that’s unique for a teenager,” head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said of Coulibaly’s mindset. “It doesn’t seem like he gets rattled. He’s not overly demonstrative in any way, but I think he’s got the right approach.”

Third-year wing Corey Kispert said that Coulibaly has had to learn a lot in his first NBA training camp and preseason, joking that the rookie has been forced to “drink out of a fire hose” in taking in all the information the Wizards are throwing at him. However, Kispert added that he has been “nothing but impressed” with Coulibaly so far.

According to Ava Wallace of The Washington Post, Unseld said this week that the plan for Coulibaly this season is to give him a “steady diet” of meaningful minutes in games. That might happen in the NBA with the Wizards or in the G League with the Capital City Go-Go. The franchise doesn’t want to rush the developmental process with the 19-year-old, and he’s on board with that plan.

“I know I’m young,” Coulibaly said. “I’ll take the time that it will take.”

Here’s more out of D.C.:

The Wizards announced on Thursday that forward Anthony Gill has suffered a strained left hamstring and will be sidelined for the next two or three weeks, tweets Wallace. That means Gill likely won’t be available when the club’s regular season begins on October 25.
Deni Avdija, who has missed the Wizards’ first two preseason games due to back tightness, was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and could’ve played on Thursday if needed, tweets Robbins. It’s sounds like Avdija will be good to go for the start of the regular season, barring a setback.
Wallace shares some takeaways from the Wizards’ first two preseason games, singling out two-way player Eugene Omoruyi as an under-the-radar standout and observing that the club’s starting lineup is beginning to take shape. Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole, Coulibaly, Kyle Kuzma, and Daniel Gafford have started both preseason contests for Washington, though Wallace suspects Avdija may supplant Coulibaly in that five-man group once he returns.
With Bradley Beal no longer in Washington, which player or players might emerge as the locker room leader(s) in 2023/24? Candace Buckner of The Washington Post explores that topic, writing that those leadership roles will come down to stature and won’t simply fall to the highest-paid players by default.