The Wizards may have found something special in Kyle Kuzma, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. Kuzma is having a career-best season with Washington so far, averaging 17.0 points and 8.8 rebounds in 33.5 minutes per game.
“He’s shown a steady progression where it seems like every month he’s getting better. He’s playing with more confidence,” head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said.
According to Hughes, Kuzma has averaged 21.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game since December 22, raising his play on both ends. Washington acquired the 26-year-old in a trade involving star guard Russell Westbrook back in July.
Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference:
- The potential returns of Victor Oladipo and Markieff Morris offer intrigue for the Heat, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. Oladipo hasn’t played this season, while Morris hasn’t played in over three months. Miami owns the best record in the East (40-21) despite their absences. “I just love to see everybody try to get healthy and do what they love to do, what they’ve been doing their entire life,” Jimmy Butler said of the duo. “The fact that they’ve been out for a little bit, but still are coming in smiling and working, I think that’s the most important thing. Yeah, they want to get back. Yeah, we want them back. But in due time, they will be back and we’ll be even better.”
- Hornets forward Miles Bridges likely would’ve accepted the team’s $60MM extension offer last fall if it wasn’t for his agents, as relayed by Rohan Nadkarni of Sports Illustrated. Bridges, who is averaging 19.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season, will likely be in line for a far more lucrative contract as a restricted free agent. “If it wasn’t for them I probably would’ve taken the deal,” Bridges said of his agents. “They got more confidence in me than I have sometimes.”
- New York City will lift its “Key2NYC” vaccine mandate on March 7, but the private sector mandate still restricts Nets star Kyrie Irving from playing in home games, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. The private sector mandate could be dropped eventually, but for now, Irving still can’t play in New York.
That Westbrook trade looks worst and worst every day.
It’s just mind boggling because there were so many better options out there.
Not really in the context of it being Lebron’s decision and the Lakers appeasing him as much as possible. If LeBron were smarter or at least smart enough to realize he isn’t smart, he would’ve let the front office do their thing and none of this would’ve happened.
Which is funny because most folks who didn’t have their heads up you know where knew it was a disaster from the start. Yet the bar continues to sink lower and lower.
Do some research about what happened. And don’t expect Laker fans to not be positive about the trade. Based on HR comment sections, they are the few hopeful. Guess what, Lakedoggz was positive. I see you thought the Lakers should do the trade– if only because they had to do something. LJ may have pushed that “do something” idea, as he said at AS week, but so did everyone else.
Your paranoia about Lebron puts your opinions on a weak foundation. You ignore lack of evidence, and, why defend Pelinka so much? Is he valuable? Pelinka was never obligated to take his orders; Buss fired deal-making Magic and gave him control. If what you say is right, did LJ know he could have kept KCP if preferring Hield+Bagley? You think LJ&RW are friends?
The bar does continue to sink lower & lower… so I wonder why the commotion & emotion. It is as foretold.
If only they valued a guard who could take the offense out of RW’s hands… Caruso. There is both men’s flaw… not enough respect for him.
link to hoopsrumors.com
link to hoopsrumors.com
Yeah it does for WAS, they got clowned there!
I still find it laughable that the Lakers front office thought THT would be a better option next to LBJ and AD then Kuzma. Just mind blogging. It shows how clueless they are when it comes to self evaluating their own players.
As a Heat fan, knowing LeBron, it was probably his decision.
Let’s not forget keeping kuzma instead of Ingram in the AD trade as well.
Pels did not want Kuzma; wanted a future first (probably low) instead.
95% of this board was anti Kuzma last year when he was a Laker
Ingram was in the package 100%, I still wonder why they didnt get Kuzma as well for free, as if Lakers were going to say no- Lakes got lucky even to keep him
Considering he’s not really a star player, I’m glad he was traded. He gets way fewer posts because he’s with another team.
He’s very useful though like a Covington type
Heat potentially getting stronger.
Bridges better be happy he didn’t accept that extension lol