This season, Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards is prioritizing more than just putting points on the board.
In a recent conversation with NBA insider Marc Stein, the forward emphasized his commitment to developing strong habits beyond scoring. “It’s not about scoring,” Kuzma explained. “It’s about the other things. Trying to score 25, 30 points a night on a bad team doesn’t really move me. It’s all about growth, defensive strides, helping other guys get better on the team and just improving my court presence.”
Kuzma’s decision-making process came into focus after he disclosed to Josh Robbins of The Athletic that he turned down an opportunity to join the Dallas Mavericks before the trade deadline.
Although the 28-year-old doesn’t possess a no-trade clause in his contract, Wizards president Michael Winger reportedly gave him the freedom to decide his fate.
“Dallas, they definitely did want me,” Kuzma confirmed. “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.”
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Dallas was prepared to offer two first-round picks for Kuzma, a move that would have transitioned him from a struggling Wizards team to a playoff-contending Mavericks squad. Despite the allure, Kuzma believed his career timeline didn’t align with Dallas’s objectives.
“In my career, I won a championship,” Kuzma noted, referencing his 2020 title with the Los Angeles Lakers. “So, I understand that when we play this game of basketball it’s not about contending for a playoff spot. It’s about contending for an NBA championship. There’s only like three or four contenders—true contenders. I just felt like our timelines didn’t line up.”
Remaining committed to Washington’s long-term rebuilding effort, Kuzma has become a cornerstone figure after the departure of key players like Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porziņģis.
Having secured an extension that keeps him with the Wizards through the 2026-27 season, Kuzma’s contributions extend beyond his scoring averages of 21.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, with shooting percentages of 45.6 from the field and 32.9 from deep this season.
While Kuzma acknowledges that he could boost his scoring output if he solely focused on it, he remains committed to rounding out his game, which could prove invaluable if Washington emerges as a contender during his tenure.
