Kyle Kuzma Trade Elevates Kings More Than Ingram, Markkanen Deals Amid NBA Rumors

Erik BeastonJuly 4, 2024

Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images

Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reported the Sacramento Kings have been busy this offseason, making exploratory calls on the Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen and Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans, with another star player also piquing their interest.

“[Kyle] Kuzma’s contract is viewed as highly attractive to teams across the league looking to improve in the short term and preserve financial flexibility to round out their rosters.”

Kuzma is owed $64.43 million over the next three seasons on a descending contract, per the insider, which makes him more attractive to teams looking to get better fast.

The 28-year-old small forward improved in several categories, including points per game, where he averaged the most of his career with 22.2 for the Washington Wizards.

An uptick in field goal percentage (46.3) and three-point shooting (33.6 percent), only enhances teams’ reasoning for exploring the possibility of adding Kuzma to their rosters.

His player efficiency rating was the highest of his career, too, at 15.7, per Stat Muse.

Kuzma’s assist game is what improved this past season as he dished the ball more consistently, setting up teammates to thrive instead of worrying about taking shots himself.

Ingram and Markkanen would suit the Kings well and help aid in the team’s desire to develop into a legitimate contender out west, but it is Kuzma’s evolution into a more complete player that makes him the best fit and the most intriguing.

He would be an upgrade over Harrison Barnes in the position and bring with him the veteran experience of having won an NBA title in 2020 and played with the best player of this generation, LeBron James.

It will not be easy to pry Kuzma away from Washington, or Markkanen from Utah for that matter.

The New York Knicks’ haul for Mikal Bridges, which included four first-round draft picks, a protected fifth, and a protected pick swap, was enormous and has set the standard for players of Markkanen and Kuzma’s skillsets.

Regardless of who the Kings decide to target, it will cost them.

A lot.

Whether the team is willing to mortgage its long-term future in the name of winning now will ultimately decide if the organization can realistically complete a deal and focus on chasing Denver, Minnesota, Los Angeles, and Dallas in the Western Conference.