The Suns have been targeting Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma for “several seasons,” league sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, but it seems unlikely he’ll be headed to Phoenix this summer.
Kuzma, who has said he plans to decline his $13MM player option in search of a bigger payday, has been linked to the Pacers and Rockets — a couple of teams with cap space — ahead of free agency, says Fischer.
The 27-year-old averaged a career-high 21.2 PPG in 2022/23, along with 7.2 RPG and 3.7 APG (another career-best) in 64 games (35.0 MPG). However, his scoring efficiency left something to be desired — he posted a .448/.333/.730 shooting slash line for a below-average 54.4 true shooting percentage.
It’s unclear if Washington’s new front office will have interest in retaining Kuzma. The prior regime was obviously high on the combo forward, as the club decided to hold onto him through the February trade deadline.
Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up for Yahoo Sports:
- Outside of the top three selections, there’s a lot of uncertainty about how the rest of the lottery will play out, Fischer writes. He suggests that Michigan guard Kobe Bufkin and Metropolitans 92 wing Bilal Coulibaly are worth keeping an eye on as somewhat unexpected top-10 picks. Several teams are reportedly considering moving into or out of the lottery, and sources tell Fischer the Thunder (No. 12) should be added to the list of teams open to moving back in order to add multiple first-rounders.
- According to Fischer’s sources, while the Raptors continue to weigh various approaches to their roster construction, they still view Scottie Barnes as a franchise cornerstone. Multiple league executives tell Fischer the Raptors are expected to keep investigating pathways to move into the top three of the draft, and they’ve also contacted the Rockets about the fourth overall pick.
- Moving into the top three or four would almost certainly require the Raptors to part with Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby, Fischer notes. Toronto has had previous trade talks with the Trail Blazers, who control the third pick, centered around both forwards, sources tell Fischer. Both players are entering the final year of their contracts, so presumably any team acquiring either player would have to secure a long-term commitment — they’ll both be extension-eligible this offseason. Fischer hears the Raptors have told rival clubs they declined Portland’s overtures for Anunoby in exchange for the seventh overall pick in 2022, but obviously last year’s seventh pick has a different valuation than a top-three selection in a draft that is viewed as having three standout prospects.
- Multiple sources tell Fischer that Anunoby is “very much” open to staying with the Raptors if he can land a bigger role in the team’s offense under new head coach Darko Rajakovic. However, he suggests that might change if Siakam and Fred VanVleet remain on the roster alongside Barnes next season. The Kings are among the teams interested in Anunoby, Fischer writes, with Harrison Barnes‘ future up in the air ahead of free agency.
- Despite opting out of his player option, VanVleet is still open to re-signing with the Raptors, per Fischer. $90MM over three years appears to be VanVleet’s floor for a new contract, according to Fischer, who adds that fellow guard Gary Trent Jr. will likely command “at least” $20MM annually in free agency. Trent is expected to decline his own player option, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet. The deadline on Trent’s decision was reported to be June 14, but may have been pushed back — ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) now lists that deadline as June 29.
Not sure that Trent will be able to command $20 M annually, as Fischer says. That salary might have been possible for him last year, but it’s hard to imagine a team paying him that much under the new CBA.
It will certainly be interesting to observe this test market on players such as Trent and Kuzma this offseason –
7 teams have actual cap space this offseason – Some of these mid tier players will find seats before the music goes off (first 10 mins of free agency), some wont.
I wonder if some teams keep the MLE ready for Day 3 for the players that miss the bag the first 2 days, ofc they risk losing the top of the MLE market but its not a great market to begin with this year . Could end up with a nice little gem on a 1/12.2
Trent will for sure, guys only 22 amd his best days are still ahead of him.
Trent is 24, he will be 25 in January.
Just letting you know, but the fact still remains, you’re right about him still being young enough to likely get at or at least near that 20mil per year.
Raps could have kept there 2024 1st rd pick & wait to sign poetl this summer. Feel like Masai is starting to lose his touch.
That trade made no sense, unless he knew he was blowing it up and wanted to reward the long term guys with one last Crack at a run.
Toronto….
1. Jordan Poole for Chris Boucher, Otto Porter, Malakai Flynn and the 13th pick in the draft
2. Buddy Heild, Andrew Nembhart and the 7th pick for OG Anunoby and Thad Young
Use the 7th overall pick on a PF like Taylor Hendricks
I also really like the idea of getting Dillon Brooks in FA and have him return home to Canada.
Line up
Nembhart Poole Barnes Siakim Poeltl
… Heild Brooks Hendricks Precious
Nice little rebuild/retool. Much younger with Nembhart, Poole and Hendricks which all suit building around Barnes. However you’ll still be a good competitive side with Pascal, Poeltl, Brooks and Heild.
GSW gets cheap and good depth which they need and frees up a little bit of money over there.
And Indy is targeting OG and willing to give up the 7th pick to get wing help.
Toronto also wouldn’t be a bad landing spot for Payton Pritchard.
I think Pritchard could do very well alongside Barnes, OG, Siakim, Precious, and Poeltl, or really whichever core guys they decide to keep moving forward.
I highly doubt it would happen, but I really wish the Bulls could get their hands on a PG like Pritchard, especially with Lonzo Ball likely out for the foreseeable future.
Poole is not good, he’s the exact type of player the Raptors avoid. No defense and poor team offense.
You think he Raptors would give up the 13th pick for Jordan Poole?? Either you are SERIOUSLY overrating and overvaluing Jordan Poole, or you are seriously UNDERvaluing the value of that 13th pick. I have a feeling it’s the former, since a lot of casual fans do seem to think Jordan Poole is good, for some reason. Maybe because he played on the Warriors loll.
Aren’t you expecting a bit much for OG & Young. 2 starters & the #7 pick? Sounds like homer talk
So Masai’s last few moves that I’m aware of are, trading Toronto’s 2024 frp for a half year rental in Poetl (I imagine there’s a handshake deal to resign), he chooses not to trade both FVV and GTjr at the last deadline and now both are opting to become unrestricted fa’s so he’s likely to lose one if not both to free agency-so zero in return for either player, and now he admits he passed on drafting Shaedon Sharpe, a kid from outside of Toronto, because he instead wanted to keep OG another year until now he’s only gonna be a 1 year rental for his next team so his value I’m guessing is lower now. Same with Siakam, he’s got good value but it’s lower now since he’s a 1 year guy as well. I thought Masai was supposed good at his job? Am I missing something?
How did he pass up on sharpe when they didn’t even have a 1st round pick in last years draft ?
You must’ve my missed the part of this article where the Blazers offered the 7th pick for OG and Toronto said no. They could’ve had the 7th pick, so take Sharpe out and put whoever was available in there. Good job at getting stuck on one small piece of my entire post. Any thoughts on the other 95% of what I brought up?
Yeah, a few screws lol.
OG is a monster and absolutely worth keeping. I wouldn’t have traded him to draft Shaedon Sharpe. Sharpe MAY be as good as OG one day. Might be. OG is already really good.
Also, London isn’t just outside Toronto, lol.
I said ‘outside of Toronto’ not ‘just outside ‘ also, 2 hours drive isn’t far. Not in my opinion, but hey agree to disagree.
Well when OG leaves Toronto when his contract is up because he doesn’t get the role he’s been asking for then I bet your opinion will change.
I like your love of him but I don’t think the rest of the basketball universe is quite that high on him, but hey maybe you’re right and OG will actually make an all star team. All defense is nice, but plenty of “nice” players get on the all d team. See Matisse Thybullle for reference.