Kyle Kuzma Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: NBA Media Rights, Kuzma, Poeltl, Blanks

May 6th, 2023 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Analysts at JPMorgan recently issued a report stating that the exponential growth of sports media rights is unsustainable in the long term, according to Mike Ozanian of Forbes, but the NBA remains on track to do extremely well on its next deal. The league’s nine-year, $24 billion agreement with its current partners expires in 2025 and the NBA will reportedly look to double or triple that amount on its next rights contract.

With some regional sports networks around the country struggling to make payments to teams, the NBA’s next media deal may lean more heavily on broadcast television and/or streaming platforms, creating alternatives for teams when their current agreements with RSNs expires, per Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic explores the same topic, citing a source with knowledge of the situation who says the NBA would like to get more games on broadcast television and fewer on cable in its next media rights deal. Vorkunov confirms that NBC has displayed interest in getting the NBA back and adds that several streamers – led by Amazon and Apple – are believed to have interest in broadcasting NBA games.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

After previously breaking down this summer’s free agent market for guards, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report shifts his focus to 2023’s free agent wings and big men. Pincus suggests this year’s crop of wings isn’t especially deep and that most of the market’s top players – such as Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma – are far more likely to stay put than to change teams. Within his story on bigs, Pincus says multiple sources view the Raptors as a “lock” to re-sign Jakob Poeltl.
John Hollinger of The Athletic shines a spotlight on the minimum-salary players who are making a difference for playoff teams, including Lakers guard Austin Reaves, Suns forward Josh Okogie, and Heat guard Gabe Vincent, among others. Those players will all be free agents this summer and are in position to receive significant raises.
Lance Blanks, a former NBA player for the Pistons and Timberwolves, died on Wednesday at age 56, per The Detroit News. After retiring as a player, Blanks worked as a scout with the Spurs, then was later hired by the Cavaliers as an assistant general manager and by the Suns as their GM. Most recently, he served in a scouting role for the Clippers. “Lance was a light for all those who knew him,” former Pistons star Joe Dumars said in a statement. “It’s been a privilege to have called him one of my closest friends. I’m eternally grateful for all the support he has shown me throughout the years.” Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News has more on Blanks’ passing.

Eastern Notes: Dinwiddie, Kuzma, Giannis, J. Brown, Hawks

April 13th, 2023 at 8:02am CST by Luke Adams

Former Wizards teammates Spencer Dinwiddie and Kyle Kuzma traded a couple barbs back in January after Washington defeated Dinwiddie’s Mavericks, with each casting doubt on the other’s commitment to playing “winning basketball.” Now a member of the Nets, Dinwiddie was asked during an appearance on FanDuel TV (Twitter video link) about that exchange and didn’t hesitate to reignite his beef with Kuzma, questioning whether the Wizards forward has his priorities straight.

“There’s a lot of guys in the NBA that really pour their heart and soul into basketball, are willing to do whatever it takes to win,” Dinwiddie said. “There are a lot of guys that have different things that drive or motivate them. I think if we look at him and the way he approaches life, fame, all that stuff, we can see that his priorities tend to vary. That’s why he dresses the way he does, he approaches basketball the way he does, the comments he makes.

“Like I said with the Draymond (Green) quote, ‘Insecurity is loud.’ You know that you’re there shooting shots to try to get a contract. You’re probably not even a third star really on a good team, because if you were, the Lakers would’ve kept you.”

Several hours later, Kuzma fired back in a Twitter thread, writing that he and the Wizards have “so much real estate on Dinsh–tie island.” Kuzma criticized Dinwiddie for being traded just months after he signed a three-year, $54MM contract in D.C. and suggested that his Nets are only in the postseason because of the pre-Dinwiddie success the team had with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Dinwiddie and Kuzma won’t face each other until sometime next season, but the latest grenades lobbed in their back-and-forth war of words should make things all the more interesting when that happens.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo tells Lori Nickel of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he legitimately considered the possibility of walking away from the NBA due to the mental health toll he was dealing with in 2020. “I had that conversation – yes – with the front office,” Antetokounmpo said. “And, you know, very normally, everybody is looking at me like I was crazy. ‘You just signed the largest contract in NBA history and you want to walk away from the game and all that money?’ … But I don’t care about that. I care about joy. I’m a joyful person.”
Jaylen Brown would become eligible for a super-max extension if he makes an All-NBA team this spring, and Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens is hoping that happens, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “I think both Jayson (Tatum) and Jaylen should be on the All-NBA team,” Stevens said. “I think what they’ve done throughout the course of this year — and you asked about Jaylen so I’ll talk about Jaylen in particular — he’s also really played his best basketball, I think, in the last couple of months, and he was an obvious All-Star right out of the gate.”
Former Octagon agent Chris Emens has joined the Hawks‘ front office in an advisory role, reports Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic (Twitter link). Emens represented Hawks general manager Landry Fields during Fields’ playing days, Vorkunov notes.

Wizards Notes: Beal, Porzingis, Offseason Needs

April 11th, 2023 at 1:41pm CST by Luke Adams

After completing the first season of his five-year, $251MM contract with the Wizards, Bradley Beal admitted that it was a “disappointing” season for the team, which finished with a 35-47 record. However, as Ava Wallace of The Washington Post writes, Beal said on Monday that he doesn’t intend to ask for a trade or to use his no-trade clause as a “trump card” to force the Wizards into certain roster moves.

“That’s an unnecessary thing for me to do. … That’s not me; that’s beneath me,” Beal said. “I’m definitely frustrated. I’m also at peace with where I am and who we are and what we need to do to be better. It’s nothing I can do — I can’t control it. I’m not going to sit here and cuss everybody out. We know where we failed and how we have to be better, and we have to do so. And there’s never one time where I’m like: ‘You know what? I’m out of here.’ But I very well could because I do have the no-trade. But I don’t use it as a trump, no.”

Beal added that he fully expects to be in D.C. next fall and that “you guys would hear” if he wanted out, per Wallace.

He also spoke on Monday about the police investigation that was launched into a postgame altercation with a fan in Orlando last month. The fan involved in that incident reportedly yelled at and insulted Beal because he had lost a bet on the game.

“Nobody wants to lose money. I get it. If you keep it about sports, I’m all for it,” Beal said (link via ESPN.com). “But I think it’s when people start getting personal, talking about your family, talking about your character, your integrity towards the game. I think all of that, we can save it. We can really keep those comments to ourselves.”

Here’s more on the Wizards:

After Wizards president of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard reiterated his desire to sign Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma to new contracts this summer, Porzingis reciprocated that interest during his own end-of-season media session, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “I feel at home here. Believe it or not, I love the city,” Porzingis said. “I know a lot of people are saying it’s not a sexy destination for a lot of free agents, but I really like the city.” Porzingis holds a player option for 2023/24 — he’d be extension-eligible this offseason if he opts in and would need to negotiate a new deal if he opts out. He said he’ll meet with his representatives on Tuesday to begin discussing the decision.
In a separate NBC Sports Washington story, Hughes identifies several of the Wizards’ most pressing offseason needs, including volume three-point shooting, shot creation, and more athleticism on the perimeter.
Arguing that the Wizards’ 2022/23 season should be viewed as an abject failure, Josh Robbins of The Athletic notes that the team’s management and ownership appear to still be committed to their “middle-build” philosophy rather than opting for a teardown.

Wizards Notes: Kuzma, Porzingis, Gafford, Future

April 8th, 2023 at 5:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kyle Kuzma knows he’ll get a huge contract wherever he goes in free agency, so that won’t be the main factor when he makes his decision on where to play, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Keeping Kuzma, who held an exit interview with team president Tommy Sheppard on Saturday, will be one of Washington’s top offseason priorities. The 27-year-old forward plans to listen to offers from all interested teams and will reach a final decision based on what he believes is best for his future.

“It’s not about money, I’m going to get paid regardless anywhere [I go] and here, too,” Kuzma said. “It’s about can I come into work every day and be the best version of myself, can I help lead guys, can I make other players better, can I light up rooms. All those things matter when you’re trying to be successful.”

Hughes notes that Kuzma has achieved his greatest NBA success during the two years he has spent with the Wizards. His stats have improved compared to his four seasons with the Lakers, and his overall game has expanded. Kuzma told reporters he has enjoyed his time in Washington and indicated that two years of losing might not cause him to seek a more successful franchise.

“I think you have to have patience,” he said. “I believe to certain extents what guys like (Damian Lillard) and even (Bradley Beal have said), those guys where they talk about how the grass is not always greener and stuff. Just because you go to a contender doesn’t mean you’re going to win a championship right away because health can be a factor.”

There’s more from Washington:

Kristaps Porzingis, who’s involved in extension talks with the Wizards, said he can foresee a long-term future with the team, per Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. Porzingis posted career highs in scoring and field goals percentage this season while appearing in 65 games, his largest total since 2016/17. “This was a great opportunity for me last season when I got traded here,” he said. “This was one of the places that I was looking at and I thought I could fit there very well, and, yeah, it’s been great. I believe this is a great place for me also, going forward.”
The Wizards will add center Daniel Gafford to their lengthy inactive list for the season finale on Sunday, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
Failing to reach the play-in tournament marked another disappointing season in Washington, states Candace Buckner of The Washington Post, who adds that a late-season tank left the team with only a remote chance to land one of the draft’s top prizes. Buckner reviews the season to determine what went wrong for the Wizards and whether there’s reason to believe the future will be any brighter.

Wizards, Kristaps Porzingis Discussing Contract Extension

March 29th, 2023 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards and big man Kristaps Porzingis have engaged in “serious” discussions about a possible contract extension, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Porzingis, who holds a $36MM player option for the 2023/24 season, is currently eligible for a veteran extension as long as he turns down that option as part of any agreement. In that scenario, his first-year salary would have to match or exceed his $36MM option salary.

If he were to decline the option, Porzingis would be eligible for an extension worth up to approximately $180MM over four years, beginning in ’23/24, as Charania observes. However, The Athletic’s report doesn’t make it clear exactly how high the Wizards are willing to go with their offer.

Porzingis is enjoying arguably his best season since entering the NBA in 2015. He has averaged 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 32.6 minutes per game for the Wizards, with an impressive shooting line of .498/.385/.851. In addition to his increased production, the 27-year-old has avoided the injured list this year — his 65 games are the most he has played in a single season since 2016/17.

Despite Porzingis’ strong performance, the Wizards will likely finish in the lottery in the Eastern Conference. At 34-42, they’re currently 2.5 games back of Chicago for the East’s No. 10 seed with just six left to play.

The Wizards have reportedly shown interest in re-signing both Porzingis and forward Kyle Kuzma, who also holds a 2023/24 option that he’s unlikely to exercise. While Kuzma has also been productive in D.C., Josh Robbins of The Athletic questions whether it makes sense to double down on the team’s current core, given this year’s underwhelming record. Robbins notes that the price tags on new deals for Porzingis and Kuzma will go a long way toward determining the wisdom of investing in the duo.

Because players who sign veteran extensions are limited to 20% raises in the first year of their new deals, Kuzma will become a free agent rather than signing an extension between now and July. He’s earning just $13MM this season, so a 20% raise would result in a first-year salary of $15.6MM on an extension — he believes he can exceed that, though Charania says he and the Wizards have mutual interest in working something out in free agency.

Porzingis is earning $33.83MM this season, so his limit in the first year of an extension would be either 120% of that amount or the league-wide maximum salary for a player with between seven and nine years of NBA experience (whichever is lesser). Based on the NBA’s latest cap projections, that would mean a maximum salary of $40.2MM for Porzingis.

Wizards Notes: Beal, Kuzma, Davis, Tanking

March 27th, 2023 at 9:50am CST by Dana Gauruder

Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma didn’t play on Sunday and the Wizards’ high-scoring duo may be shut down the remainder of the season.

Beal has a mild left knee sprain, while Kuzma is nursing a sprained right ankle. Coach Wes Unseld Jr. said he “hopes” they return this season, Ava Wallace of the Washington Post tweets. However, the Wizards are now tied with the Pacers and 3.5 games behind the Bulls for the final play-in spot, so it may not make sense to play the duo again.

We have more on the Wizards:

Without Beal and Kuzma, as well as point guard Monte Morris, the Wizards fell to the Raptors 114-104. That ensured the team would finish with a losing record for the fifth consecutive season. Kristaps Porzingis admits that without those players, the team is in a tough spot. “Those guys (Toronto) right now are a level higher. Us without our main guys, it’s different,” Porzingis told Wallace. “Difficult task.”
The play of lottery pick Johnny Davis was a bright spot on Sunday, Wallace noted in the same story. He scored a career-best 15 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. “I feel like I just needed to see one go down,” Davis said. “It’s been a while since I hit a three. So once I saw that first one go, it just built up my confidence to be able to take and make open shots.”
The best thing for the Wizards’ long-term outlook would be to have the losses pile up the rest of the way, David Aldridge of The Athletic opines. The team needs another impact player and its best hope of getting one would be to have some lottery luck.

Injury Notes: Embiid, Wizards, Raptors, Simmons, Gallinari

March 23rd, 2023 at 7:04pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Sixers All-NBA center Joel Embiid sat out the second half of Philadelphia’ 116-91 blowout victory over the Bulls Wednesday with mild right calf tightness, but he’s expected to suit up for the Sixers’ next game on Friday, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

While the injury is considered minor, Rich Hoffman of The Athletic suggests it could impact how Philadelphia handles its final 10 games of the 2022/23 season. The Sixers’ other top scorer, point guard James Harden, sat out the win with a sore left Achilles.

Hoffman notes that Philadelphia is prioritizing postseason health over regular season wins down the home stretch, a strategy that could cost the team’s the East’s second seed and home court advantage in the second round of the playoffs should it match up with the Celtics.

“We’ve gone into the playoffs two years in a row with injuries,” head coach Doc Rivers said in a postgame presser. “We all know that you don’t win in the playoffs when your key guys aren’t healthy, period. So, we’re going to do whatever we can to be healthy.”

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the league:

Wizards power forward Kyle Kuzma and shooting guard Bradley Beal will both miss Washington’s game Friday against the lowly Spurs, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Kuzma is dealing with a sprained right ankle, while the oft-injured Beal is currently grappling with left knee soreness.
Deep-bench Nets big man Ben Simmons is currently only engaging in individual workouts and not yet working out with the team as he continues to rehabilitate his sore left knee, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link). Head coach Jacque Vaughn was noncommittal when he was asked if the team would be able to ramp up Simmons before the end of the regular season.
Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, big man Precious Achiuwa, and shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. did not practice on Thursday and are questionable Friday in a winnable game against the rebuilding Pistons, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (via Twitter). Grange observes (Twitter link) that Barnes is exercising caution with his ailing left wrist. Achiuwa is dealing with a hamstring injury, while Trent has an elbow ailment.
When Danilo Gallinari tore his ACL six months ago, the injury was considered very likely to end his season. Though it remains a long shot, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston writes that the Celtics forward continues to keep the door ajar for a potential return for the postseason. “Playoffs, it’s still in my head,” Gallinari said. “A lot of steps that need to be done before you play an actual game. And even maybe after all those steps, you are not ready for a playoff game because when you don’t play the whole season and then be ready to play a playoff game is not easy for anybody, not just body-wise but mentally-wise. But like I said, it might happen. So we’ll see.”

Wizards Notes: Play-In Race, Beal, Kuzma

March 22nd, 2023 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards are spiraling at the worst possible time, having lost six of their last seven games as multiple teams around them in the Eastern Conference play-in have heated up. During their recent slump, a two-game lead on the Bulls for the No. 10 seed has turned into a 2.5-game deficit, prompting Bradley Beal to declare that the team must “be better,” per Ava Wallace of The Washington Post.

“We know that. It’s not rocket science. It’s not a secret,” Beal said. “We got — 10 left? We’ve got to push the last 10.”

Second-year sharpshooter Corey Kispert believes the Wizards have made the mistake of “playing to other teams’ games” during their recent slide.

“Cleveland (played more physically than) us — that’s what they do. Tried to go toe-to-toe with (Sacramento) in pace; you’re not going to win that game,” Kispert explained. “And when you try to beat teams that are really, really good at their own games, that doesn’t work out too well. The Magic played really well together, got to their spots, took advantage of mismatches. And we’re trying to find the right formula.”

Here’s more on the Wizards:

The Wizards will be in tough as they try to snap their three-game losing streak on Wednesday. They’re playing on the second night of a back-to-back, are up against the West-leading Nuggets, and will be without their leading scorer. A late addition to the injury report due to left knee soreness, Bradley Beal has been downgraded from questionable to out, according to the team (Twitter link).
Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma will also be unavailable on Wednesday, having been ruled out for a second straight game due to a right ankle sprain (Twitter link). Head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said on Tuesday that he was surprised Kuzma was able to continue playing after suffering the injury on Saturday per Wallace. “He’ll be reevaluated as he progresses — hopefully sooner rather than later,” Unseld said. “But it was a pretty significant sprain.”
Speaking to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington, Kuzma said he has enjoyed living in D.C. since joining the Wizards. “It’s central and it’s low-key and chill,” he explained. “I love where I live. People are not really bothering me too much. It’s an easy pace of life out here, it’s nice.” While that may be a factor in Kuzma’s free agency decision, the forward, who is expected to turn down a 2023/24 player option this summer, sounds like he’s looking forward to considering all his options. “I have the opportunity to go through that process, go through team pitches and go through the back end of being a free agent and learning and getting to know different people,” he said.

Injury Notes: S. Barnes, Kuzma, J. Johnson, J. Allen

March 21st, 2023 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

An MRI on Scottie Barnes‘ left wrist came back clean, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link). However, the wrist – which the Raptors forward injured during Sunday’s loss in Milwaukee – is still sore and will likely undergo more testing, Lewenberg adds. For now, Barnes is considered day-to-day, and Lewenberg believes he’ll likely be listed as questionable to play on Wednesday vs. Indiana after not practicing on Tuesday.

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has been ruled out for Tuesday’s contest in Orlando due to a right ankle sprain, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. It will be the third time in the last four games that Washington will be without either Kuzma or Kristaps Porzingis.
Following an MRI, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson was diagnosed with a mild hamstring and groin strain, a league source tells Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). According to Williams, Johnson will be reevaluated early next week.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, who has been out for four games due to a right eye contusion, is nearing a return. According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), Allen was a full participant in Monday’s practice and has a chance to play on Tuesday. He’s currently listed as questionable.
After missing four games due to a right ankle sprain, Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin returned to action on Monday, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star details. Mathurin showed no ill effects following the brief layoff, scoring 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting.

Injury Notes: Nance, Mitchell, Kuzma, LeBron, Suns

March 14th, 2023 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

After missing six games due to a left ankle sprain, Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr. returned to action on Sunday vs. Portland. However, Nance logged just eight minutes and acknowledged after the game that he isn’t at full strength yet.

“I think it was pretty clear that I’m not 100%,” Nance said, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “For me, it’s more about if I can play, you’re going to get what I got at all times. We got a win. I did my job.”

Even though Nance – who has averaged 22.0 minutes per game off the bench this season – couldn’t reclaim his usual rotation role in his first game back, head coach Willie Green appreciates the 30-year-old’s willingness to play through pain with New Orleans in the thick of a playoff race.

“Larry is a leader,” Green said. “He wants to be out there on the floor. He has been talking about it the last three, four days. These guys understand that coming down the stretch, it’s going to be a tight race for the playoffs. He’s trying to get himself ready for the last 14 games. It was huge to have him on the floor. His presence was felt.”

Nance isn’t on the Pelicans’ injury report for Tuesday’s game against the Lakers, so he’ll be available for that one, even if his minutes are once again limited.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

The Cavaliers have ruled out Donovan Mitchell (finger sprain injury management) for Tuesday’s contest vs. Charlotte, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Starting center Jarrett Allen (right eye contusion) is also unavailable for a second straight game.
Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game against Detroit due to a sore right knee, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Washington is currently a half-game back of Chicago for the No. 10 spot in the East.
Lakers star LeBron James, who is making his way back from a right foot injury, did his first on-court activity at a Tuesday shootaround, taking a few free throws after he completed his weight lifting and rehab work, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter links).
Suns head coach Monty Williams called it a “good sign” that GM James Jones said Kevin Durant would probably be available now if the playoffs had begun. “With those kind of injuries, you tend to get better every day, and he’s getting around-the-clock treatment,” Williams said of KD (link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). The Suns’ coach added that Landry Shamet‘s return from a right foot injury isn’t imminent: “He’s just been getting up shots. He’s about the same. He’s just getting more treatment. Just trying to figure it out. How can we get back to a place he can get back to a full practice and then progress from there.”