When the Milwaukee Bucks traded for star small forward Kyle Kuzma at the trade deadline last season, the expectation was clear: add another proven scorer to complement Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks traded for Kuzma in a deal involving Kris Middleton. On paper, the move gave them a younger, more athletic wing who could space the floor, but the result on the court was mixed.
However, the former Los Angeles Lakers struggled to meet expectations. In 32 games, Kuzma averaged 14.5 points per game on 45% shooting from the field, a noticeable dip in production from his time with the Washington Wizards earlier in the season.
His struggle extended into the postseason for the Bucks, as he failed to find his offensive groove during their first-round matchup against the Indiana Pacers. The same Pacers team would eventually eliminate the same Pacers team.
Despite his rough start to his Bucks tenure, many are still optimistic about Kuzma with the Bucks heading into the 2025-26 season; one in particular is Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, who stated that the Bucks fans should
“I think it’s fair to give him a pass for last season. It’s hard to go from losing four straight years with no expectations to win to suddenly starting to have winning expectations.”
Kuzma spent four seasons with the Wizards. Throughout his time in DC, where wins were scarce, however, he showed flashes of being a high-volume scorer, and the Bucs are hoping to recapture that form in a winning environment.
With Damian Lillard, whom the Bucks waived earlier in the offseason following a season-ending Achilles injury, Kuzma is expected to take on a larger role in the offense heading into the 2025-26 season. The Bucks are betting on him to leap next season.
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