AP – Kyle Kuzma will be a free agent when the league’s annual offseason shopping period starts next week.
Kuzma has declined his USD13 million player option with the Washington Wizards for next season, a person with knowledge of his decision said yesterday, meaning he will be a free agent. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither side disclosed the move.
ESPN first reported Kuzma had declined the option. The move was not a surprise: Kuzma had said to The Washington Post and The Athletic in December that he was not planning to exercise the option, and given what he will command on the market, his decision makes sense.
Kuzma is coming off the highest-scoring season of his six-year career. He averaged 21.2 points for the Wizards, who are finalising a trade that will send three-time All-Star Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns. It’s possible that Kuzma could return to Washington on a far more lucrative deal; USD13 million for someone averaging more than 20 points a game would be an absolute steal.
Free agency opens on June 30.
