SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It was the fist bump and pat on the back that will re-ignite one of the NBA’s most persistent trade rumors.
Just before the Washington Wizards and the Sacramento Kings tipped off their game here Sunday night, Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma jogged to a spectator who sat in the first row at midcourt. They bumped fists, exchanged smiles and patted each other on the back.
That interaction normally wouldn’t have raised eyebrows, but that was no ordinary fan. It was Vivek Ranadivé, the Kings’ owner and chairman. The NBA trade deadline looms on Feb. 6, just two and a half weeks away, and Ranadivé’s team has been said for years to have interest in Kuzma.
So, that greeting must be connected to a potential trade, right?
Probably not. As Kuzma explained to reporters after the Kings blew out the Wizards 123-100, he and Ranadivé recently invested in a new women’s professional sports venture called Major League Volleyball.
“Nothing basketball-related,” Kuzma said.
The speculation about Kuzma changing teams — whether to the Kings or elsewhere — will continue anyway, perhaps for good reason. With the Wizards in the early stages of a rebuild and interested in adding draft picks, Kuzma, a veteran who contributed to the Los Angeles Lakers’ run to the 2020 NBA…
