Wizards' Kyle Kuzma: Scoring 25-30 PPG on a Bad Team 'Doesn't Really Move Me' | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Kyle Kuzma is focusing on more than just scoring this season.

"I'm building great habits," the Washington Wizards forward told NBA insider Marc Stein. "It's not about scoring. It's about the other things. Trying to score 25, 30 points a night on a bad team doesn't really move me. It's all about growth, defensive strides, helping other guys get better on the team and just improving my court presence."

Kuzma has been under the spotlight since he recently told Josh Robbins of The Athletic he rejected the opportunity to go to the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the trade deadline.

While the 28-year-old does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, Wizards president Michael Winger apparently gave him the choice about whether he would be moved.

"There was a point in time, Dallas, they definitely did want me," Kuzma said. "Winger presented me with what the trade was and obviously didn't want to trade me and kind of left the decision up to me a little bit and asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I wanted to stay and continue to build something. And that was kind of the end of it."

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported on Wednesday's episode of The Hoop Collective (21:40 mark) that his "understanding" is Dallas was going to offer two first-round picks for Kuzma.

Such a move would have meant the forward went from a Wizards team that is 9-44 to a Mavericks team that is 31-23 and in playoff contention in the Western Conference. Many players surely would have jumped at such an opportunity, but he told Robbins he didn't believe his timeline matched up with the one in Dallas.

"In my career, I won a championship," Kuzma said in reference to the 2020 ring he won with the Los Angeles Lakers. "So, I understand that when we play this game of basketball it's not about contending for a playoff spot. It's about contending for an NBA championship. There's only like three or four contenders—true contenders. I just felt like our timelines didn't line up."

He remained a part of what figures to be a long rebuilding project in Washington after the franchise moved on from Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porziņģis, among others.

Kuzma is under contract through the 2026-27 campaign after signing an extension and is averaging 21.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from deep this season.

To hear him tell it, those scoring numbers could be better if that was where he focused his attention. However, he is rounding out his game, which could serve him well if Washington is a contender at some point during his contract.