(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
It’s the dawn of a new era for the Washington Wizards.
For the first time in years, the team won’t feature either John Wall or Bradley Beal, and it seemed like they had finally embraced a full-throttle rebuild by letting Kristaps Porzingis go.
However, they may not be ready to go full-tank just yet, as they also traded for a potential young star in Jordan Poole and signed Kyle Kuzma to a long-term deal.
Ironically, Kuzma is now perhaps the most respected veteran voice within the locker room.
And when asked about his plans for the future, the former NBA champion claimed that he’s looking forward to leading that young core of players and making sure the Wizards become contenders again, via NBC Sports Washington.
“Having this opportunity to lead this organization and lead a bunch of young guys is something that I believe I can do, and do at a high level.”@kylekuzma is poised to lead the @WashWizards and help make them a contender once again!#DCAboveAll pic.twitter.com/pglQTBSTMp
— NBC Sports Washington (@NBCSWashington) July 31, 2023
Kuzma had previously stated that he wanted to compete at a high level and wouldn’t only think about money in his new contract, as he could get a big payday regardless of where he signed.
He’s expected to have a prominent role in the team’s offense alongside Poole, and there’s a big chance they both post All-Star-caliber numbers throughout the course of the season.
As for winning games, that’s a whole different story, as the Wizards don’t look like a play-in team by any means, and that’s not likely to change any time soon.
The Wizards — as constructed now — will have a tough time getting back to the postseason, and there are serious doubts about Poole’s and Kuzma’s maturity, so they’ll have to prove plenty of people wrong.
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