The Milwaukee Bucks made an essential transfer on Wednesday morning, sending Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards in alternate for Kyle Kuzma.
Kuzma is having a tough season proper now, so why did the Bucks resolve they need him?
Writing for The Athletic, David Aldridge dug into the main points of the commerce and located that it’s all about Kuzma’s velocity.
“The 6-9 Kuzma goes to a Bucks workforce with a longtime pecking order, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard in the important thing roles. A league supply informed The Athletic that the Bucks did intensive analysis on Kuzma in latest days, and workforce officers imagine Kuzma can assist them play quick on offense and be simpler in transition,” Aldridge wrote, per NBACentral.
The Milwaukee Bucks did ‘intensive analysis’ on Kyle Kuzma and imagine his skills will assist them play quicker, per @davidaldridgedc
“The 6-9 Kuzma goes to a Bucks workforce with a longtime pecking order, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard in the important thing roles. A league… pic.twitter.com/aMCy3w8b17
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 5, 2025
Kuzma is averaging 15.2 factors, 5.8 rebounds, and a pair of.5 assists per recreation within the 2024-25 season, taking pictures 42.0 p.c from the sphere and 28.1 p.c from the three-point line.
His area purpose and three-point percentages have by no means been decrease, however the Bucks nonetheless need him.
That’s as a result of they assume he can finally bounce again from these profession lows and change into productive once more, they usually additionally love how shortly he strikes.
They need an uptempo workforce, one which cruises up and down the courtroom, particularly in transition.
The Bucks weren’t getting that from Middleton, so a swap for Kuzma is sensible to them.
Is that this the final change the Bucks will make earlier than Thursday’s deadline?
Some followers really feel that Kuzma isn’t sufficient to essentially transfer the needle and Milwaukee will must be extra aggressive and purchase another person.
However this is perhaps it till the offseason, regardless of what followers hope.
NEXT: Bucks Are Reportedly Wanting To Commerce Veteran Guard