Eastern Conference contender linked to Washington Wizards trade

With the 2024-25 NBA season set to begin tonight for the Washington Wizards, there are a lot of trade rumors and speculation surrounding the team.

The Wizards are widely expected to deal Malcolm Brogdon and Jonas Valanciunas at some point this year. Kyle Kuzma is another name being considered as a potential trade candidate.

At this point in Washington's rebuild, they are open to anything that will help improve their prospects as contenders over the next few years. Kuzma could be a part of that process, but he also has a lot of potential trade value that could help bring in more young talent and improve the team overall.

With that in mind, an Eastern Conference contender is one of the latest to be linked to Kuzma in trade rumors.

Nathaniel Holloway by The Sports News has suggested that the Cleveland Cavaliers could be a potential Kuzma trade suitor.

“By adding Kuzma, the Cavaliers would add another offensive weapon to a roster already full of them. “The downside to Kuzma is his lackluster defense, but the Cavs have a lot of great defenders on the roster who should be able to fill his void,” Holloway wrote. “While a blockbuster trade for Kuzma may not move the Cavaliers to the top of the East, it would improve their chances against the Celtics and Knicks, especially in the playoffs.”

Kuzma would certainly improve the Cavaliers even further. It's a fascinating potential destination.

During the 2023-24 NBA season with the Wizards, Kuzma played 70 games and averaged 22.2 points per game as well as 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He shot 46.3 percent overall from the floor and shot 33.6 percent from three-point range.

At 29 years old, Kuzma could stay in Washington and be an important part of the team for years to come. Or they could choose to move on and focus on getting even younger.

Luckily, the Wizards are in a position where they don't have to choose one choice or the other. They can let trade discussions come to them and make the best decisions possible about where they want to go.

Expect to hear plenty of rumors surrounding Kuzma throughout the year. Teams like Cleveland would love to get him, but there's no guarantee Washington will add him to the trading block.

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