Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst is standing by combo forward Kyle Kuzma, a pricey 2024-25 trade deadline acquisition who disappointed down the season’s home stretch.
In 33 contests for Milwaukee, the 6-foot-9 Utah product averaged 14.5 points on a mediocre .455/.333/.663 slash line, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.5 steals a night. The 29-year-old wasn’t nearly the aggressive scorer he had been with the Washington Wizards in 2023-24, and has slipped defensively since his Los Angeles Lakers days. He became borderline-unplayable during the postseason.
During an epic new conversation with The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, Horst explained why he sees an upside for Kuzma next season.
1-on-1 with Jon Horst, Part 2
– The return of Bobby Portis
– Extension talks with AJ Green
– The potential of the Bucks’ point guards
– Kyle Kuzma’s second season in MilwaukeeAt @TheAthletic: https://t.co/X20SyNi26U
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) July 18, 2025
“First of all, we were intentional, and we talked about this a lot when we did it at the deadline. Kyle was a target and nothing’s changed,” Horst said. “I think Kyle gives us a chance to play fast, gives us a chance to be huge, play a lot of different big lineups. He’s a plus-plus defender at multiple positions and he’s a guy that offensively, when he plays with confidence and plays within the flow, is very impactful.”
As part of a four-team deadline exchange with the Wizards, New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, the Bucks flipped former three-time All-Star wing Khris Middleton, a core contributor to the team’s 2021 championship run, for Kuzma at the deadline. Middleton’s health and hefty contract had become problematic.
Milwaukee nabbed Kuzma, rim-rolling backup center Jericho Sims, the eventual rights to the No. 47 pick in this year’s draft, and a protected second round draft pick from San Antonio
“We still believe in Kyle. He struggled,” Horst said. “He hadn’t been to the playoffs in a while either. And I thought he played great for us for most of the regular season after we acquired him and I think he struggled in the playoffs. And he would tell you that. Doc and I have already gone to L.A. to spend time with him. Doc’s gonna spend time with him again.”
The bloom really came off the rose during Milwaukee’s doomed five-game first round playoff series defeat to the Indiana Pacers. Kuzma averaged a paltry 5.8 points on .343/.200/.500 shooting splits, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 20.4 minutes per game. By the end of the series, head coach Doc Rivers had benched him in favor of 6-foot-4 shooting guard A.J. Green.
Horst suggested that part of the problem could be his position. Kuzma played primarily at small forward last season, and thanks to some new wings additions Horst projects that he will generally move up a slot to power forward.
“I think the biggest thing with Kyle is just getting the familiarity, working with our coaches in the off-season, being part of a training camp and just really building into a system where he understands where he’s gonna get his looks, how he can have his impact and where we can understand him better,” Horst said. “He’s very, very good (at power forward). And so I think getting him more minutes at the four … is going to be helpful.”
Kuzma is still owed $42.7 million over the next two seasons, and will at the very least need to greatly rehab his trade value before Milwaukee can offload him for roster help. Horst is saying all the right things as he likely looks to inflate Kuzma’s worth on the market.
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