Next week, as the league’s annual offseason shopping period begins, Kyle Kuzma will enter free agency.
According to an undisclosed source, Kuzma has chosen to decline his player option worth $13 million with the Washington Wizards for the upcoming season. This decision confirms that he will become a free agent. The individual who shared this information requested anonymity when speaking to The Associated Press, as neither party involved has officially announced the move.
ESPN initially reported Kuzma’s choice to decline the option. This outcome does not come as a surprise since Kuzma had previously expressed to The Washington Post and The Athletic in December that he had no plans to exercise the option. Considering his market value and the potential offers he may receive, his decision appears logical.
Kuzma recently concluded his most prolific scoring season in his six-year career, averaging 21.2 points per game for the Wizards. As the team finalizes a trade that will send three-time All-Star Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, there is a possibility that Kuzma could negotiate a more lucrative deal to stay in Washington. Given his impressive scoring contributions, acquiring Kuzma for $13 million would be an exceptional steal.
The commencement of free agency is scheduled for June 30.
In other news, the Toronto Raptors made an announcement on Tuesday stating that guard Gary Trent Jr. has decided to exercise his player option for the upcoming season, which amounts to $18.5 million. By doing so, Trent has chosen to forgo the opportunity to enter free agency.
During the previous season, Trent maintained an average of 17.4 points per game while playing for the Toronto Raptors. This marks his third consecutive season of achieving a scoring average of at least 15 points.
Throughout his five-year career, Trent, who happens to be the son of former NBA guard Gary Trent, has accumulated an average of 14.4 points. He has played for both the Raptors and the Portland Trail Blazers.
