Kyle Kuzma is returning to the Washington Wizards, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
Kuzma, after declining a player option with the Washington Wizards and entering free agency, agreed to rejoin the team on a four-year, $102 million deal, his agent told Wojnarowski.
Though the Wizards struggled and missed the playoffs both seasons that Kuzma was there, he is coming off the best season in his career. Kuzma averaged a career-high 21.2 points per game, shot nearly 45% from the field and added 7.2 rebounds and a career-best 3.7 assists per game.
Kuzma was one of the better forwards available in free agency this summer, and he drew plenty of interest. According to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, the Sacramento Kings were eyeing Kuzma again after failing to land him in 2021. He’d also been linked to the Indiana Pacers, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks.
Kuzma wrapped up a three-year, $39 million deal with the Wizards earlier this spring, a deal he first signed with the Los Angeles Lakers — who traded up to get him from the Brooklyn Nets with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
He declined a $13 million player option to return to the Wizards in June, something that had long been expected. He was reportedly searching for a deal worth close to $30 million per season. After finally getting room to work as a consistent starter in Washington, something he didn’t get much of in Los Angeles, Kuzma more than proved himself capable of being a consistent key piece for the Wizards. Put him in the right situation, and Kuzma can be the missing piece for a franchise poised to make a run.