3 Trade deadline moves that would boost the Kings, 2 they must avoid

Trading for Kyle Kuzma now would be risky

Technically, Kyle Kuzma is pretty much what the Kings need. He has good size, rebounds well, can create his own shot and score, and is a solid defender when locked in. 

The problem is that he might not want to be a role player. In Sacramento, he would not be a priority. Even Keegan Murray might have more plays drawn up for him because he still needs to grow and develop. 

Kuzma decided to re-sign with the Wizards to be the number one option on a terrible team. Losing gets tiring, and he might change his mind about being a high-level role player rather than a star, but the middle of the season is not the right time to find out.

Kuzma would only help the Kings if he’s locked in and has the right mindset to do all the little things that don’t show up in the box score. Like I said before, there is no rush to compete for a title right now, and gambling on someone who might not want to do what you need from him to win would be a risky move.

Plus, the Wizards are in no rush to trade Kuzma and probably won’t waver much on the asking price. This is not to say that getting Kuzma in general would be a bad move. It just seems like a risky move now. The offseason, when things are calmer and there is a chance to gauge Kuzma’s interest in being in Sacramento, might be a better time.