The Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma is set to become a free agent after he reportedly declined his $13 million player option, sources revealed to ESPN on Tuesday.
Averaging a career-high 21.2 points and 7.2 rebounds over the course of last season, Kuzma is already being regarded as one of the most appealing players to hit free agency this summer.
Kuzma had previously told reporters that he would be willing to stay in Washington, however, his opinion has appeared to change following the restructuring of the franchise at the end of last season. General manager Tommy Sheppard was dismissed, with former Clippers GM Michael Winger taking charge.
Selected as the number 27 pick overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 NBA Draft, Kuzma made an almost immediate impact for his team, averaging 19 points per game once he got into his second season.
While his role was downgraded following the arrival of Anthony Davis, Kuzma played a role in the Lakers’ NBA Championship triumph in 2020. Less than two years later, Kuzma joined the Wizards as part of the deal that saw Russell Westbrook move in the opposite direction.
