NBA free agency 2023: Kyle Kuzma returning to Wizards on $102M deal
Kyle Kuzma declined a player option earlier this offseason to enter free agency
Kyle Kuzma is returning to the Washington Wizards, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
Free agent F Kyle Kuzma has agreed on a four-year, $102M deal to return to the Washington Wizards, co-head of @CAA_Basketball Austin Brown tells ESPN. Kuzma took a shorter deal with Lakers three years ago — and now cashes in after a career-year with Wizards. pic.twitter.com/Ox7TQDcb6z
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2023
After declining a player option with the Washington Wizards and entering free agency, Kuzma 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 of 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.
