Kyle Kuzma and Spencer Dinwiddie weren’t even teammates for a full season with the Washington Wizards. But the brief experience must have created quite the impression — given the beef involved.
Dinwiddie and Kuzma traded barbs Wednesday over their time playing together on the 2021-22 Washington Wizards. Those Wizards started a surprising 10-3, but fell apart as the campaign unfolded — eventually leading Washington’s management to deal Dinwiddie at that year’s trade deadline, just months after giving the guard a three-year, $54 million deal.
The drama started Wednesday when Dinwiddie, now with the Brooklyn Nets, gave an interview to FanDuel TV in which the 30-year-old unloaded on Kuzma.
Dinwiddie took issue with Kuzma’s comment from last January, when the Wizards forward tweeted the Mavericks — then Dinwiddie’s team — don’t play winning basketball in response to the guard’s post-game remarks that the Wizards were a“showcase” for players who are “over there trying to get paid.” At the time, the Wizards had just beaten Dallas in an upset win.
“There are a lot of guys that pour their heart and soul into basketball … if we look at [Kuzma] and the way he approaches life, fame, all that stuff, we can see that his priorities tend to vary,” Dinwiddie said. “That’s why he dress the way he does, approaches basketball the way he does, the comments he makes.”
He wasn’t done — far from it.
Dinwiddie brought up Kuzma’s pursuit of a new contract and how that impacted the Wizards with co-stars Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis. He also referenced Draymond Green’s recent clap back to Rudy Gobert: “Insecurity is loud,” Dinwiddie said.
“You know that you’re there shooting shots to try to get a contract,” Dinwiddie said. “You’re probably not even a third star really on a good team because if you were the Lakers would have kept you. … In D.C. if you’ve got three max (contract) dudes, Porzingis, Brad and Kuz’, then how do you miss the playoffs?
“None of these things make sense unless your priorities aren’t in order.”
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) April 12, 2023
Kuzma didn’t wait long to respond — firing off a (hilarious) six-tweet thread in response.
1.) insecurity is loud?
The wizards & I have so much real estate on Dinshittie island. This guy got signed by a team 60ms and was traded before the following season was over. (😳)
— kuz (@kylekuzma) April 12, 2023
3.) You can thank KD & Kyrie and the for spearheading 34 wins before the all star break (11-13 after the break) for your playoffs. 🤣🤣🤣
— kuz (@kylekuzma) April 12, 2023
5.) and yup! I got a bag coming 🙏🏽 stop hating lol.
— kuz (@kylekuzma) April 12, 2023
And last but not least!
6.) The only way you’ll ever be worth your contract is if the NBA finally gives you your wish of getting paid in crypto *check the markets* 📉
Enjoy the clicks!
Go @sixers !!!
— kuz (@kylekuzma) April 12, 2023
