Before acquiring PJ Washington in a deal with the Charlotte Hornets at the trade deadline, the Dallas Mavericks had another plan; they wanted to get Washington Wizards’ Kyle Kuzma. The only problem was that Kuzma didn’t want to go to Dallas.

Speaking with The Athletic earlier this week, Kuzma revealed that the Wizards had an offer from the Mavs for him and that Washington’s president, Michael Winger, was willing to accept it if Kuzma wanted to go. However, the 28-year-old player preferred to stay put, prompting Winger to rebuff Dallas’s interest.

“There was a point in time, Dallas, they definitely did want me,” Kuzma said. “Winger presented me with what the trade was and obviously didn’t want to trade me and kind of left the decision up to me a little bit and asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I wanted to stay and continue to build something. And that was kind of the end of it.”

While Kuzma didn’t get a no-trade clause as part of the four-year, $102 million deal he signed with the Wizards in the summer, the franchise’s brass promised him that he’d have input if a trade opportunity presented itself. That was unless the offer they received was something that the team couldn’t afford to pass on.

Winger obviously felt that the Mavs’ offer wasn’t in the “can’t refuse” realm, prompting him to reach out to Kuzma and leave the decision up to him. And perhaps surprisingly, Kuzma decided he likes it more with the rebuilding Wizards than the contending Mavericks.

Kuzma has been playing arguably his best season since turning pro in 2023-24. He is averaging a career-high 21.8 points and 4.2 assists to go with 6.3 rebounds.

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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.

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After spending the first four years of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, forward Kyle Kuzma is heading to the capital to play for the Washington Wizards in the 2021-22 season. But it turns out that this wasn’t part of Kuzma’s plans early in the preseason as he was preparing for a stay in California.

Speaking on the No Chill With Gilbert Arenas podcast, Kuzma revealed that he was convinced the Lakers would trade him to the Sacramento Kings. The deal involved Buddy Hield heading in the opposite direction, and according to Kuzma, it was as good as done.

“I was kind of shocked, because I thought I was going to Sac,” said Kuzma. “Like the Sacramento deal with Buddy Hield, that was done. So I’m thinking in my head, like, ‘OK, Sac, 45-minute flight. That’s not bad. I can go to Napa.'”

The Lakers decided to pull the plug on the Kings agreement at the last moment and instead opted to include Kuzma in a trade that landed them All-Star guard Russell Westbrook from the Wizards. But it wasn’t like Kuzma was complaining.

“But then, out of nowhere, you’re going to Washington. I was super hyped because it’s a better situation,” he added. He then explained that he’s excited he’ll get to play with an All-NBA player like Bradley Beal.

Kyle Kuzma had a strong start of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, going from a late first-round pick out of Utah to one of the team’s key weapons on the offense in his rookie and sophomore year. But following the arrival of LeBron James and later Anthony Davis, Kuzma failed to carve a role for himself on the Lakers. His numbers started to drop to the point that he lost his starting place on the team and became dispensable.

Kuzma will now hope to resurrect his career with the Wizards, where he is expected to have a more expanded role and less competition.

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There’s nothing quite like a showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics, no matter what time of the year it is.

And boy what a show it was, with the victory being decided on the very last second of the game.

The Lakers were leading by one point with 11.6 seconds left to go, and they were thankful to have the ball in their hands as well. Unfortunately, Celtics star guard Kemba Walker stripped it from Laker forward Anthony Davis and attempted to throw a pass to teammate Jaylen Brown, who was near the basket.

Meanwhile, Laker youngster Alex Caruso was hustling down the court and stopped the pass from Walker. Boston still managed to retain possession, but the only shot they could get was a difficult one by Walker which didn’t go in, giving the Lakers the victory.

Not only did the Laker stars thrive in this victory, but their younger bench players stood out as well, most notably Caruso, Kyle Kuzma, and Talen Horton-Tucker.

Laker coach Frank Vogel spoke of their impact after the game: “Yeah, I liked the energy that they had. I mean, Alex and Kuz and Talen and really Trez, all four of those guys are hard-playing dudes.”

Caruso’s final defensive play, in particular, helped seal the victory for the Lakers, and if anyone wasn’t a “Carushow” believer before, they should be now.

The post Lakers Beat Longtime Rival Celtics by One in Nailbiter appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Forward Kyle Kuzma is staying in Los Angeles, at least for the foreseeable future. As the deadline for signing rooking extensions came to an end earlier this week, the Los Angeles Lakers agreed to a three-year, $40 million extension with the young star.

The fans in Los Angeles have really liked Kuzma ever since he arrived.

But most importantly, Laker stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis like him and obviously made a push to keep him with the team, which was clear from James’s reaction to the signing on Twitter:

Kuzma will most likely see a more expanded role on the team this year. The Lakers clearly thought it was wise to lock him up in order to avoid potentially losing him to restricted free agency next year.

The Lakers, who are the defending NBA champs, have been paying up in order to keep the team together and compete for another title this year. They resigned James to a two-year, $85 million deal and gave Davis a massive five-year, $190 million extension before taking care of Kuzma.

In his first three seasons in the league and with the Lakers, Kuzma has averaged a respectable 16 points per game.

The post Kyle Kuzma Signs 3-Year, $40 Million Extension with Lakers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers were linked in trade talks earlier this month, with the presumption that the talks centered on Serbian shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. However, it turns out that this is just half of the story. The reports now surfaced that Kings wanted to get Kyle Kuzma from the Lakers with the intention to send Nemanja Bjelica in the opposite direction.

In a recent piece, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Conner wrote that the Kings offered Bjelica alongside a draft pick for Kuzma, but ended up getting a counter offer. The Lakers were reportedly willing to part with Kuzma, but only if that meant Bogdanovic was part of the trade. Sacramento was unwilling to make such a deal, and trade talks broke down.

It’s easy to see why the Lakers passed on Bjelica. While the 31-year-old is a solid role player, averaging 12.2 points and 6.5 rebounds off the bench this season, he isn’t a difference-maker and someone who can get the team closer to a championship.

Bogdanovic, on the other hand, is a 3-and-D guy who is a natural shooter and has the potential to excel as a sixth man on a championship team. The 27-year-old is averaging career-high 14.6 points per game while hitting .375 of his three-point shots.

Although Kuzma remains a Laker so far, he obviously isn’t considered untradeable as he once was. The young forward is having a down year this season, but he might still have enough value to land Lakers a proven veteran that would help them in the postseason.

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Los Angeles Lakers failed to pair LeBron James and Anthony Davis with a third superstar this summer, with Kawhi Leonard rejecting their offer and signing with the LA Clippers. But, Kyle Kuzma doesn’t think the Lakers need to pursue additional stars as they already got one on their roster.

In a recent chat with ESPN, Kuzma said that he thinks he is ready to take the big leap and become the third superstar the Lakers have been searching for. 

“I don’t feel no pressure, but I believe that I am capable of being that superstar,” – said Kuzma. “I put a lot of work in. My progress through my journey shows that I can be there. I developed every single year, dating back to college, and I don’t see that development stunting at all.”

Kuzma averaged 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season but failed to consistently shoot the ball well. The 24-year-old thinks that will change this season as his playing style suits perfectly with James and Davis.

“I’ve never been a ball-dominant guy,” – he added. “I’ve always played off the ball. It is going to be a little bit easier, going to have a lot of open shots. It is my job to trust my summer workouts and what I’ve done. Just breathe, focus and knock those shots down, because I’m going to be open.”

Los Angeles Lakers will be happy to see Kyle Kuzma’s confidence, as they need him to step up and play a more prominent role this season. Kuzma showed flashes of talent in the past two seasons but remained inconsistent when it mattered the most. With Lakers poised for a deep playoff run, he will have to make the final step and at least play on perennial All-Star level in order for the team to be successful.

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It seems like the Los Angeles Lakers can’t catch a break in the past several weeks. They are not just in real danger of missing the playoffs after three straight losses but have now also lost one of their key players. The team announced that forward Kyle Kuzma, who is currently the Lakers’ second-leading scorer with 18.8 points per game, is out with an ankle sprain and could miss one week.

Kuzma sprained his ankle during Monday’s 113-105 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers when he took a drive to the basket and rolled his ankle before limping off the floor.

Lakers have already been struggling with injuries even before Kuzma got hurt, as they are without their starting point guard Lonzo Ball since mid-January. Brandon Ingram, Tyson Chandler, and Lance Stephenson are also nursing minor injuries and might not play this week.

Kyle Kuzma proved crucial for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, taking over the scoring load when the team’s leading star LeBron James was out with an injury. Kuzma, who was a late second round pick in 2017, played 60 games this season and is currently averaging career highs in points (18.8), field goal percentage (46.5 percent),) and assists (2.5) while also getting 5.6 boards per game.

The post Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma Out For a Week with an Ankle Sprain appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Just when it looked like that a young Los Angeles Lakers team might not be so bad, eighth straight loss placed them on the last spot of the Western Conference with 11-26 record. The most painful defeat came on Wednesday night, while playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After a tied first quarter, the Lakers were crushed in the following three and suffered a 133-96 defeat. To make things even worse, the Thunder played majority of the second half with bench players. In words of Lakers’ promising rookie Kyle Kuzma, the team just “gave up”.

“We gave up,” – Kuzma said to ESPN after the game. “You could see, they got basket after basket, we had no resistance on them on the defensive end and offensive end. When things got tough, we tried to do it individually, and you can’t do that in this league. They took a little lead, and we just went to being selfish on the floor. We didn’t compete on defense. They killed us. … To lose by [nearly] 40, it is pretty embarrassing to be out there.“

Lakers’ coach Luke Walton added that both the fans and the organization “deserve better than that.“

It is important to note that the Lakers were without rookie point guard Lonzo Ball during this losing streak. Although Ball still didn’t provide enough to prove he is the future of the Lakers, he continues to progress and improve in his first NBA season.

Kuzma, the 27th overall pick in last year’s draft, on the other side, is fully embracing the chance he received from Walton. Clinching a starting position earlier in the season, he is currently averaging 17.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and plays well above the preseason expectations.

The Los Angeles Lakers will have a chance to snap their losing streak on Friday when they face the Charlotte Hornets.

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Before acquiring PJ Washington in a deal with the Charlotte Hornets at the trade deadline, the Dallas Mavericks had another plan; they wanted to get Washington Wizards’ Kyle Kuzma. The only problem was that Kuzma didn’t want to go to Dallas.

Speaking with The Athletic earlier this week, Kuzma revealed that the Wizards had an offer from the Mavs for him and that Washington’s president, Michael Winger, was willing to accept it if Kuzma wanted to go. However, the 28-year-old player preferred to stay put, prompting Winger to rebuff Dallas’s interest.

“There was a point in time, Dallas, they definitely did want me,” Kuzma said. “Winger presented me with what the trade was and obviously didn’t want to trade me and kind of left the decision up to me a little bit and asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I wanted to stay and continue to build something. And that was kind of the end of it.”

While Kuzma didn’t get a no-trade clause as part of the four-year, $102 million deal he signed with the Wizards in the summer, the franchise’s brass promised him that he’d have input if a trade opportunity presented itself. That was unless the offer they received was something that the team couldn’t afford to pass on.

Winger obviously felt that the Mavs’ offer wasn’t in the “can’t refuse” realm, prompting him to reach out to Kuzma and leave the decision up to him. And perhaps surprisingly, Kuzma decided he likes it more with the rebuilding Wizards than the contending Mavericks.

Kuzma has been playing arguably his best season since turning pro in 2023-24. He is averaging a career-high 21.8 points and 4.2 assists to go with 6.3 rebounds.

The post Wizards’ Kyle Kuzma Rejected a Trade to the Mavericks appeared first on SportzBonanza.

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.

The post Kyle Kuzma to Become Free Agent After Declining Contract Option appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After spending the first four years of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, forward Kyle Kuzma is heading to the capital to play for the Washington Wizards in the 2021-22 season. But it turns out that this wasn’t part of Kuzma’s plans early in the preseason as he was preparing for a stay in California.

Speaking on the No Chill With Gilbert Arenas podcast, Kuzma revealed that he was convinced the Lakers would trade him to the Sacramento Kings. The deal involved Buddy Hield heading in the opposite direction, and according to Kuzma, it was as good as done.

“I was kind of shocked, because I thought I was going to Sac,” said Kuzma. “Like the Sacramento deal with Buddy Hield, that was done. So I’m thinking in my head, like, ‘OK, Sac, 45-minute flight. That’s not bad. I can go to Napa.'”

The Lakers decided to pull the plug on the Kings agreement at the last moment and instead opted to include Kuzma in a trade that landed them All-Star guard Russell Westbrook from the Wizards. But it wasn’t like Kuzma was complaining.

“But then, out of nowhere, you’re going to Washington. I was super hyped because it’s a better situation,” he added. He then explained that he’s excited he’ll get to play with an All-NBA player like Bradley Beal.

Kyle Kuzma had a strong start of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, going from a late first-round pick out of Utah to one of the team’s key weapons on the offense in his rookie and sophomore year. But following the arrival of LeBron James and later Anthony Davis, Kuzma failed to carve a role for himself on the Lakers. His numbers started to drop to the point that he lost his starting place on the team and became dispensable.

Kuzma will now hope to resurrect his career with the Wizards, where he is expected to have a more expanded role and less competition.

The post Kyle Kuzma Was Convinced He’d Play for Kings Before Wizards Trade appeared first on SportzBonanza.

There’s nothing quite like a showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics, no matter what time of the year it is.

And boy what a show it was, with the victory being decided on the very last second of the game.

The Lakers were leading by one point with 11.6 seconds left to go, and they were thankful to have the ball in their hands as well. Unfortunately, Celtics star guard Kemba Walker stripped it from Laker forward Anthony Davis and attempted to throw a pass to teammate Jaylen Brown, who was near the basket.

Meanwhile, Laker youngster Alex Caruso was hustling down the court and stopped the pass from Walker. Boston still managed to retain possession, but the only shot they could get was a difficult one by Walker which didn’t go in, giving the Lakers the victory.

Not only did the Laker stars thrive in this victory, but their younger bench players stood out as well, most notably Caruso, Kyle Kuzma, and Talen Horton-Tucker.

Laker coach Frank Vogel spoke of their impact after the game: “Yeah, I liked the energy that they had. I mean, Alex and Kuz and Talen and really Trez, all four of those guys are hard-playing dudes.”

Caruso’s final defensive play, in particular, helped seal the victory for the Lakers, and if anyone wasn’t a “Carushow” believer before, they should be now.

The post Lakers Beat Longtime Rival Celtics by One in Nailbiter appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Forward Kyle Kuzma is staying in Los Angeles, at least for the foreseeable future. As the deadline for signing rooking extensions came to an end earlier this week, the Los Angeles Lakers agreed to a three-year, $40 million extension with the young star.

The fans in Los Angeles have really liked Kuzma ever since he arrived.

But most importantly, Laker stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis like him and obviously made a push to keep him with the team, which was clear from James’s reaction to the signing on Twitter:

Kuzma will most likely see a more expanded role on the team this year. The Lakers clearly thought it was wise to lock him up in order to avoid potentially losing him to restricted free agency next year.

The Lakers, who are the defending NBA champs, have been paying up in order to keep the team together and compete for another title this year. They resigned James to a two-year, $85 million deal and gave Davis a massive five-year, $190 million extension before taking care of Kuzma.

In his first three seasons in the league and with the Lakers, Kuzma has averaged a respectable 16 points per game.

The post Kyle Kuzma Signs 3-Year, $40 Million Extension with Lakers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers were linked in trade talks earlier this month, with the presumption that the talks centered on Serbian shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. However, it turns out that this is just half of the story. The reports now surfaced that Kings wanted to get Kyle Kuzma from the Lakers with the intention to send Nemanja Bjelica in the opposite direction.

In a recent piece, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Conner wrote that the Kings offered Bjelica alongside a draft pick for Kuzma, but ended up getting a counter offer. The Lakers were reportedly willing to part with Kuzma, but only if that meant Bogdanovic was part of the trade. Sacramento was unwilling to make such a deal, and trade talks broke down.

It’s easy to see why the Lakers passed on Bjelica. While the 31-year-old is a solid role player, averaging 12.2 points and 6.5 rebounds off the bench this season, he isn’t a difference-maker and someone who can get the team closer to a championship.

Bogdanovic, on the other hand, is a 3-and-D guy who is a natural shooter and has the potential to excel as a sixth man on a championship team. The 27-year-old is averaging career-high 14.6 points per game while hitting .375 of his three-point shots.

Although Kuzma remains a Laker so far, he obviously isn’t considered untradeable as he once was. The young forward is having a down year this season, but he might still have enough value to land Lakers a proven veteran that would help them in the postseason.

The post Kings Reportedly Offered Lakers Nemanja Bjelica For Kyle Kuzma appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Los Angeles Lakers failed to pair LeBron James and Anthony Davis with a third superstar this summer, with Kawhi Leonard rejecting their offer and signing with the LA Clippers. But, Kyle Kuzma doesn’t think the Lakers need to pursue additional stars as they already got one on their roster.

In a recent chat with ESPN, Kuzma said that he thinks he is ready to take the big leap and become the third superstar the Lakers have been searching for. 

“I don’t feel no pressure, but I believe that I am capable of being that superstar,” – said Kuzma. “I put a lot of work in. My progress through my journey shows that I can be there. I developed every single year, dating back to college, and I don’t see that development stunting at all.”

Kuzma averaged 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season but failed to consistently shoot the ball well. The 24-year-old thinks that will change this season as his playing style suits perfectly with James and Davis.

“I’ve never been a ball-dominant guy,” – he added. “I’ve always played off the ball. It is going to be a little bit easier, going to have a lot of open shots. It is my job to trust my summer workouts and what I’ve done. Just breathe, focus and knock those shots down, because I’m going to be open.”

Los Angeles Lakers will be happy to see Kyle Kuzma’s confidence, as they need him to step up and play a more prominent role this season. Kuzma showed flashes of talent in the past two seasons but remained inconsistent when it mattered the most. With Lakers poised for a deep playoff run, he will have to make the final step and at least play on perennial All-Star level in order for the team to be successful.

The post Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma: “I am Capable of Being that Superstar” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It seems like the Los Angeles Lakers can’t catch a break in the past several weeks. They are not just in real danger of missing the playoffs after three straight losses but have now also lost one of their key players. The team announced that forward Kyle Kuzma, who is currently the Lakers’ second-leading scorer with 18.8 points per game, is out with an ankle sprain and could miss one week.

Kuzma sprained his ankle during Monday’s 113-105 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers when he took a drive to the basket and rolled his ankle before limping off the floor.

Lakers have already been struggling with injuries even before Kuzma got hurt, as they are without their starting point guard Lonzo Ball since mid-January. Brandon Ingram, Tyson Chandler, and Lance Stephenson are also nursing minor injuries and might not play this week.

Kyle Kuzma proved crucial for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, taking over the scoring load when the team’s leading star LeBron James was out with an injury. Kuzma, who was a late second round pick in 2017, played 60 games this season and is currently averaging career highs in points (18.8), field goal percentage (46.5 percent),) and assists (2.5) while also getting 5.6 boards per game.

The post Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma Out For a Week with an Ankle Sprain appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Just when it looked like that a young Los Angeles Lakers team might not be so bad, eighth straight loss placed them on the last spot of the Western Conference with 11-26 record. The most painful defeat came on Wednesday night, while playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After a tied first quarter, the Lakers were crushed in the following three and suffered a 133-96 defeat. To make things even worse, the Thunder played majority of the second half with bench players. In words of Lakers’ promising rookie Kyle Kuzma, the team just “gave up”.

“We gave up,” – Kuzma said to ESPN after the game. “You could see, they got basket after basket, we had no resistance on them on the defensive end and offensive end. When things got tough, we tried to do it individually, and you can’t do that in this league. They took a little lead, and we just went to being selfish on the floor. We didn’t compete on defense. They killed us. … To lose by [nearly] 40, it is pretty embarrassing to be out there.“

Lakers’ coach Luke Walton added that both the fans and the organization “deserve better than that.“

It is important to note that the Lakers were without rookie point guard Lonzo Ball during this losing streak. Although Ball still didn’t provide enough to prove he is the future of the Lakers, he continues to progress and improve in his first NBA season.

Kuzma, the 27th overall pick in last year’s draft, on the other side, is fully embracing the chance he received from Walton. Clinching a starting position earlier in the season, he is currently averaging 17.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and plays well above the preseason expectations.

The Los Angeles Lakers will have a chance to snap their losing streak on Friday when they face the Charlotte Hornets.

The post Kyle Kuzma Says LA Lakers “Gave Up” in their Loss Against the Oklahoma City Thunder appeared first on SportzBonanza.