For a number of years, the Wizards of Washington had been downright horrible. Sadly, their woes have continued into the present 2024-2025 NBA season. For the reason that departure of Bradley Beal, the staff has been going by way of a painful chapter of reconstruction.
They however strengthened their workforce with the acquisitions of NBA champions Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma to guide the staff. Though the transfer sparked pleasure in Washington, the duo failed to show the Wizards right into a reputable risk within the Japanese Convention. With the Wizards rebuilding, NBA followers anticipated the duo to run wild, supplied they got larger roles in Washington.
Nevertheless, it seems that Poole and Kuzma are turning out to be one of many worst duos to guide an NBA staff. However whereas Poole has performed comparatively higher this yr, the identical can’t be stated for the previous Lakers ahead. Because of this, the Wizards’ greatest disappointment in the beginning of the 2024-2025 NBA season. was Kuzma’s sudden regression.
Coincidentally, not too way back, Kuzma tweeted about feeding the Detroit Pistons final yr.
Quick ahead to right this moment, his Wizards at the moment are useless final within the Japanese Convention with a 2-15 document.
Kyle Kuzma is having his worst season in a Wizards uniform
Any basketball fan will agree that Kuzma is having a horrible season to this point. The previous NBA champion averages 15.8 factors, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per sport. Whereas these are nonetheless respectable numbers, that is Kuzma’s lowest season in a Wizards uniform. Moreover, Kuzma can also be taking pictures the ball on the worst degree of his profession, 42.0% from the sphere total and a measly 27.6% from past the arc.
As one of many focal factors on offense, Kuzma’s regression has been a significant purpose why the Wizards have but to win a sport within the month of November. Let’s not overlook that as a veteran on the staff, the Wizards anticipated extra from the previous NBA All-Rookie First Group participant. Throughout the 2023 offseason, Washington really signed him to a four-year contract extension, value $90 million. The deal makes Kuzma the second-highest paid participant on the Wizards payroll.
Kuzma’s poor efficiency of late not solely hurts Washington’s probabilities of profitable some video games, but it surely additionally negatively impacts his inventory. Because of this, the NBA cellar dweller would have a tough time shifting Kuzma if he had been concerned in commerce discussions in hopes of bettering his roster.
Kuzma’s accidents
If Kuzma’s poor efficiency wasn’t unhealthy sufficient, the previous NBA champion suffered one other blow when he injured his rib within the 25-point loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Wizards star additionally went scoreless on this competitors. Previous to his rib damage, Kuzma had already missed 5 video games with a groin damage.
Whereas Kuzma’s damage will permit the Wizards to experiment with a few of their younger expertise, the lack of considered one of their greatest stars finally forces them to soak up a significant blow to an already disastrous common season. As one of many staff’s leaders, regardless of his struggles, Kuzma nonetheless permits the Wizards to be aggressive on sure events. With out him, the underside gamers within the Japanese Convention will seemingly must rely extra on Poole as a way to obtain miraculous victories.
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Apart from Poole, youthful gamers like Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr and Corey Kispert can be pressured to do the heavy lifting. Regardless that the strain is on for younger expertise, nobody is de facto anticipating large issues from the rebuilding Wizards.
Can Kyle Kuzma emerge from the droop?
It’s nonetheless unclear when Kuzma will have the ability to return to motion. Nonetheless, it might be a welcome sight if the previous first-round choose can regain his taking pictures contact. Offensively, at the least, it has been a nightmare begin for the Wizards ahead.
If Kuzma returns to his outdated type, the Wizards may give themselves an opportunity to place collectively a aggressive matchup in opposition to the remainder of the sphere. In any other case, they danger holding one of many worst NBA information of all time. However, a profitable Kuzma ought to give Washington a stable commerce candidate in alternate for draft picks that can permit them to enhance their rebuilding roster.
However in actuality, given how injury-riddled the season has been for the polarizing ahead, it is laborious to count on Kuzma to be taking pictures proper out of the gate upon his return. Moreover, with the struggling Japanese Convention staff anticipated to expertise one other dropping season, the drought is predicted to proceed in Washington, even with a totally wholesome roster.
