The Miami Heat need any help they can get back to the NBA Finals and win their fourth title as a franchise. Getting help will mean acquiring talented and experienced players, like Washington Wizards wing Kyle Kuzma.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz proposed a blockbuster trade that would send Kuzma to the Heat. He outlined the following trade between the Heat, Wizards, and Orlando Magic in an August 12 story.
Heat Receive: Kuzma
Magic Receive: Malcolm Brogdon, Josh Richardson, 2026 Lakers second-round pick
Wizards Receive: Cole Anthony, Jett Howard, Nikola Jović, Duncan Robinson, 2029 top-five protected Heat first-round pick
Swartz then explained why Kuzma would appeal to the Heat.
“Kuzma… averaged 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and made 35.5 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes last season. He’d be an ideal starting power forward between Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo as a scoring threat who can space the floor and serve as a willing passer.”
He played a huge part in helping the Lakers win a title in 2020. If Miami pulled off a trade for him, he would give the Heat another scorer. Better yet, he gives them another scoring wing, which they haven’t had to put next to Butler since he joined the team in 2019.
‘There is Interest’ in Kyle Kuzma Around the NBA: Report
Kuzma plays for one of the NBA’s worst teams in Washington. Because the Wizards are in the midst of a rebuild, he wouldn’t have much of a future there on paper. NBA teams are keeping their eye on Kuzma’s availability.
ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk reported in a July 17 story that NBA teams have interest in Kuzma. However, the Wizards are not looking to trade Kuzma as soon as possible.
“There is also interest around the league in forward Kyle Kuzma, but Washington will continue to operate with patience as it looks for young talent and draft picks,” Youngmisuk wrote.
At 29 years old, Kuzma is square in his prime. He will also enter the second year of a four-year, $90 million contract. Because of the length of that contract, the Wizards have plenty of time to decide what they want to do with Kuzma.
The Heat may have to offer more for Kuzma than what Swartz outlined since his contract is cheap, knowing what he can do. While the Wizards have time to think about their next move, the Heat do not.
Why Kyle Kuzma’s Contract is Appealing
Not only is Kuzma in his prime right now, but that contract becomes less and less expensive with each passing year.
For the 2024-25 season, Kuzma will be paid $23 million. The season after that, it will go to $21 million, then $19 million in its last year. That could also factor into how his contract will only increase in value with each passing year.
A team like Miami needs a player like Kuzma because he fits what they want on the court, and his contract could help them avoid the NBA’s tax aprons. They can get better, and they wouldn’t have to face financial repercussions for doing so.
The Wizards may not have much use for him, but because of the advantages he provides, the price for him would not be low.
Discussion about this post