NBA Fans Question Kyle Kuzma's Fit with Bucks After Reported Khris Middleton Trade

Featured Columnist IVFebruary 5, 2025

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 12: Kyle Kuzma #33 of the Washington Wizards looks on against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half at Capital One Arena on January 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

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The Milwaukee Bucks needed to do something amid an uneven start to the 2024-25 NBA season, but fans aren't convinced acquiring Kyle Kuzma is the cure that ails the 2021 champions.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported Milwaukee is sending forward Khris Middleton, guard A.J. Johnson and a pick swap to the Washington Wizards for Kuzma, forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. and a second-round pick.

While Middleton is having one of his worst year in a Bucks uniform, many are raising the question of whether Kuzma was the right piece to target:

Dylan Pease @dpease23
I would've rather traded Middleton as a salary dump and picked up future picks or expiring contracts. Kuzma is a net negative player. He's literally a second version of Bobby.

Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
That is quite a vote of no-confidence in Middleton. A.J. Johnson yet another late 1st-round pick down the drain. It's hard, but just have to hit on more of those in MIL's position. MIL does gain some positional size/versatility on D. Current Giannis-at-C lineups were too small.

Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
No, I'm saying I don't think Kuzma is enough of an upgrade over KM to justify using the pick-now-player in this way. <a href="https://t.co/8z11JHZgif">https://t.co/8z11JHZgif</a>

King Mook® @yungmook3_
Do Kuzma help the bucks over Middleton?

🦌 (snellszn.bsky.social) @SnellSZN
Bucks just traded their third best player, and franchise legend for one of the most net negative players on the worst team. <br><br>If that wasn't bad enough, they also threw in their potential "future", high upside project that they just drafted. I don't even have jokes for this

Ti Windisch @TiWindisch
Just need Kuzma to be a much better shooter, passer, defender, and bring much more effort than we've seen in years for this to work out. That's all. Pretty light ask.

Raashaan Myers @raashaan
Can someone tell me the difference between Kyle Kuzma and Khris Middleton? Explain it to me like I'm 5. 🤔 <a href="https://t.co/lzPsmb71lv">https://t.co/lzPsmb71lv</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ozdd79WhRR">pic.twitter.com/Ozdd79WhRR</a>

🤹‍♀️ @ChargersRuined
Bucks front office can't be real <a href="https://t.co/ayyi69gdIE">pic.twitter.com/ayyi69gdIE</a>

It sounds a bit reductive, but Kuzma hasn't been a winning player in a high-usage role. He has made the playoffs twice in his career and both came when he was a reserve for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 29-year-old put up solid numbers with the Wizards, averaging 19.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Washington was consistently a lottery team with him as one of its top scoring options, though.

Acquiring Kuzma right now is also a little surprising because he's shooting a career-worst 28.1 percent from beyond the arc to go along with what has consistently been his negligible impact on defense.

Maybe the 6'9" forward can thrive on a team that's significantly better than the Wizards and one on which he'll have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard to occupy the defense's attention.

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Still, this is a pretty big gamble for the Bucks given how much they have riding on this season.

Yaya Dubin @JADubin5
The theory of Kuzma > What Kuzma has been for most of his career, by a pretty significant margin. <br><br>Bucks better hope that other guy is still in there, even though he's really only even been that guy for ~1.5 seasons of his career. <a href="https://t.co/gpWUEfNia7">https://t.co/gpWUEfNia7</a>

Milwaukee knows full well that Antetokounmpo's patience isn't infinite and the fact he's signed through 2026-27 at a minimum is mostly irrelevant as it relates to his long-term future.

Should the Bucks suffer another early playoff exit, the rumblings about Giannis could grow to a fever pitch.

Swapping Middleton for Kuzma doesn't make Milwaukee that much worse, but it might not make the team that much better, either.

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