Why on earth did the Bucks get Kyle Kuzma?

RRR3 · Post #1 » by **RRR3** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:04 pm

13.3 PPG on 50.7 TS% with an astounding -5.8 BPM as a Buck so far. Even in a reduced role he's still putting up G league efficiency.

JRoy · Post #2 » by **JRoy** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:06 pm

To get rid of Middleton.

Astaluego · Post #3 » by **Astaluego** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:08 pm

I've only seen summaries, but it seemed to me that he was the main defender of SGA? The movements that professional GMs make are strange on many occasions.

MrGoat · Post #4 » by **MrGoat** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:09 pm

Had Middleton really fallen that far? I was surprised to see that trade at the deadline but I hadn't been following the Bucks closely

kbitboc · Post #5 » by **kbitboc** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:12 pm

RRR3 wrote:13.3 PPG on 50.7 TS% with an astounding -5.8 BPM as a Buck so far. Even in a reduced role he's still putting up G league efficiency.

Maybe Giannis wanted it. They basically do whatever Giannis want them to do.

HotelVitale · Post #6 » by **HotelVitale** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:12 pm

We can stop the posts that are basically 'this guy you traded for is playing bad, what were you thinking you idiots?'

They're thinking that he's a solid scorer with solid health track record who will end up playing better and more reliably in the PO and other big games than Middleton could have these days. Not the time to judge that now (and even if it flops the question is if Middleton and his $ would've been better).

Onlytimewilltel · Post #7 » by **Onlytimewilltel** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:14 pm

To be Bobby Portis’ punching bag in practice

Tor_Raps · Post #8 » by **Tor_Raps** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:18 pm

Funny thing is that Middleton is trending towards being the better player come playoff time lol

Dennis Reynolds · Post #9 » by **Dennis Reynolds** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:29 pm

HotelVitale wrote:We can all stop the posts that are basically 'this guy you traded for is playing bad, what were you thinking you idiot?'

They're thinking that he's a solid scorer with solid health track record who will end up playing better and more reliably in the PO and other big games than Middleton could have these days. Not the time to judge that now (and even if it flops the question is if Middleton and his $ would've been better).

You're making it seem like the Bucks traded for an elite 3 and D player who's just in the middle of a cold streak. This is Kuzma we're talking about, a guy who outside of a hot stretch or 2 has sucked every single day of his life.

JujitsuFlip · Post #10 » by **JujitsuFlip** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:31 pm

Money. They saved like $10 million this season by getting Kuzma and Sims vs Middleton, Wright, and Johnson.

brackdan70 · Post #11 » by **brackdan70** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:35 pm

JujitsuFlip wrote:Money. They saved like $10 million this season by getting Kuzma and Sims vs Middleton, Wright, and Johnson.

Yep. That’s 100% the reason.

Woodsanity · Post #12 » by **Woodsanity** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:41 pm

He sucks but cheapskate ownership wanted to save money.

Post #13 » by **Ice Man** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:49 pm

Side note, but a while back I watched a video where a guy started the first season of one of those NBA 2K type games with a roster of scrubs, with Kuzma being the most recognizable name on the roster. I thought OK, maybe that team might win 15 games ... and it won 5 games, something like that. I thought well, that's unrealistic. Now after watching Kuzma some more, I realize that the game was smarter than I am. He's the epitome of a bad player who looks at first like he might be kinda OK, because he's reasonably athletic and scores a fair amount. But man, he's just a pure volume scorer, and with bad defense and one TO for every assist. Yuck.

Handlez · Post #14 » by **Handlez** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:51 pm

Proven championship level player.

Averaged 10 and 3 in the playoffs during his title run in 19-20.

Proved he was a championship level role player.

RRR3 · Post #15 » by **RRR3** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 5:05 pm

Handlez wrote:Proven championship level player.

Averaged 10 and 3 in the playoffs during his title run in 19-20.

Proved he was a championship level role player.

Brian Scalabrine was a championship level role player by your logic.

RRR3 · Post #16 » by **RRR3** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 5:06 pm

HotelVitale wrote:We can stop the posts that are basically 'this guy you traded for is playing bad, what were you thinking you idiots?'

They're thinking that he's a solid scorer with solid health track record who will end up playing better and more reliably in the PO and other big games than Middleton could have these days. Not the time to judge that now (and even if it flops the question is if Middleton and his $ would've been better).

When has Kuzma ever been a solid scorer? Shooting a lot does not make you a good scorer.

Infinite Llamas · Post #17 » by **Infinite Llamas** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 5:14 pm

Handlez wrote:Proven championship level player.

Averaged 10 and 3 in the playoffs during his title run in 19-20.

Proved he was a championship level role player.

And?

Jordan Poole and JR Smith also proved to be “championship level” but lots of guys can win rings with Lebron and Curry.

HotelVitale · Post #18 » by **HotelVitale** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 5:16 pm

Dennis Reynolds wrote:
HotelVitale wrote:We can all stop the posts that are basically 'this guy you traded for is playing bad, what were you thinking you idiot?'

They're thinking that he's a solid scorer with solid health track record who will end up playing better and more reliably in the PO and other big games than Middleton could have these days. Not the time to judge that now (and even if it flops the question is if Middleton and his $ would've been better).

You're making it seem like they traded for an elite 3 and D player who's just in the middle of a cold streak. This is Kuzma we're talking about, a guy who outside of a hot stretch or 2 has sucked every single day of his life.

Didn't say anything to that effect. Again they traded for him because he's been a pretty reliable scorer and cuz they wanted to bail on Middleton's $ and question marks. They're obviously hoping to get a good version of him in the PO, and to be able to have some more flexibility in the offseason either way.

To the first point, Kuzma was available as a salary dump guy because he's super flawed but he's also playing significantly worse atm than he has in his career. He has a pretty long track record of scoring like 19/7.5/4 per 36 on 54-55% TS, which isn't great but is useful considering he's mostly creating a lot of his own shots. He's down to 14ppg on 50% TS on the Bucks, been less than 20 games so maybe just a temporary thing.

Either way again they're hoping he's a good version of himself come PO time. Middleton's declining and injury-prone and he's owed a bigger chunk of $ next year, they just wanted out on him. Not defending the trade or anything but the logic behind it isn't that complicated.

sp6r=underrated · Post #19 » by **sp6r=underrated** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 5:17 pm

Ice Man wrote: He's the epitome of a bad player who looks at first like he might be kinda OK, because he's reasonably athletic and scores a fair amount.

yup, it was a cost cutting move but Kuzma was singled out for the reason Ice Man specified. He looks like he should be a lot better at basketball than he is. Same reason he was able to sucker Washington into a big contract.

His career reminds me a bit of Jeff Green. Terrible players who got a lot more minutes and $$ because they look like they should be good basketball players.

AFM · Post #20 » by **AFM** » Mon Mar 17, 2025 5:18 pm

Wizards 6-4 since the trade. Kuzma may be the worst player in the league.

Watch on YouTube

I can actually watch games now.