Another mainstay in Heat Twitter trade debates, Kuzma seemingly holds the right combination of size and skillset to be, wait for it, a perfect fit at power forward next to Adebayo. He's averaged over 20 points per game over the last two seasons, albeit on a dumpster fire of a team. He has also developed a solid 3-point shot, averaging 2 makes a game on 34% shooting for his career, that could make him a threat amongst the rest of Miami’s core.
The Why:
The Wizards are going nowhere fast. They finished the season with the league’s second-worst record and have little to hang their hat on as they look toward the future. It may be worthwhile for Washington to squeeze as many future assets as they can out of their current crop of players, and Kuzma may be their most valuable player right now (which isn't saying much, but still).
They will reportedly make Kuzma available for trade this summer, and he would likely be the cheapest trade option to the Heat of those on this list.
The How:
If the Heat were to swing out on the bigger-named “whales” this offseason, Kuzma would be a great under-the-radar backup plan that fills a huge hole in Miami’s rotation. Considering his talent, the Wizards would likely hold out for the highest bidder, meaning Miami would have to shove as many picks as it can into this offer, which at this time is two. With that being said, the Heat wouldn’t have to give up nearly as much player talent as in the other deals. That means Jaquez and Jovic stay home.
Simplest potential trade package:
Terry Rozier, 2024 first round pick, 2029 first round pick
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