Ranking the 7 best NBA players who can't be traded until Jan. 15
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Kuzma. . 142. Forward | Wizards. . Kyle Kuzma. . Kyle Kuzma. 1. player
The highlight of the Washington Wizards season was supposed to be Jordan Poole. He had good years with the Golden State Warriors and now had his opportunity to be one of the main options on offense. That has not been the case at all and the best player on their team is Kyle Kuzma.
Kuzma was signed using his Bird rights over the offseason to a four-year, $102 million contract. The Wizards were able to do this because he signed a three-year extension with the Lakers after their championship season. Kuzma was traded to the Wizards in the second year of that contract, in the deal that brought Russell Westbrook to the Lakers.
That trade to the Wizards was the best thing that could have happened for Kyle Kuzma's career. He won a championship in his third season so the only thing left for him to do are the personal accolades. So far he has played at an All-Star caliber level. He's averaging a career-high 22.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and a career-high 4.5 assists, as well as .475/.358/.795 shooting splits.
Out of all the players who can't be traded until Jan. 15, Kuzma is having the best individual year. One thing that hurts him is the fact that the Wizards have a 3-19 record, which is tied for the second-worst in the NBA.
Despite being on one of the worst teams, Kuzma has the best chance to make an All-Star team out of everyone here. The numbers are there, it's just a question of whether there are injuries. The league has become so talented that there will be multiple 20-point-per-game scorers who won't sniff the All-Star team.
Kuzma is 28 years old, and the Wizards have no sense of direction. Since the Jordan Poole experiment has failed miserably, it wouldn't be a surprise if Washington decides to rebuild. The piece that could bring in the most assets is Kyle Kuzma. The way that he has played, he could become an important piece on a championship team. The Wizards can't make that decision until January 15.
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