It's no secret that the Milwaukee Bucks would love to find a trade partner for Kyle Kuzma. They still do not have a clear starter at small forward, though Kuzma served in that role last season. That didn't go so well, as Bucks fans may recall from the playoffs, but the team can't simply trade him without acquiring a small forward in return.
That's what Bleacher Report's eight-team mock trade has them doing. On top of that, the Bucks also sacrifice AJ Green. The return package? Collin Sexton and Simone Fontecchio.
Sorry, but that's not happening.
Bucks cannot give in to this version of Kuzma trade dream
Legally fitting eight teams into a trade, breaking the record seven-team transaction involving Kevin Durant this summer, is impressive in itself. Credit to the mock traders for that, but they did the Bucks dirty in this one.
Here are the full details of Bleacher Report's outgoing and incoming package for the Bucks.
In: Collin Sexton, Simone Fontecchio, draft rights to Peter Fehse (via Utah)
Out: Kyle Kuzma, AJ Green, Utah's 2026 second-round pick (top-55 protection), draft rights to Dimitrios Agravanis
The deal is all about the current NBA players involved, and it's hard to see how it benefits the Bucks even in the short term. Most glaring, given the hole on the roster, is the premise of trading Kuzma without any real replacement. Something of an Amir Coffey clone, Fontecchio would not beat out Taurean Prince for wing minutes, let alone start.
Sexton offers efficient secondary scoring and creation, but the Milwaukee Bucks already have a slew of two-guards. Sexton is more of a point guard than someone like Gary Trent Jr., but he is smaller and an up-and-down defender. He is not a wing in any sense, a capacity Trent can fill more than capably.
Essentially, Sexton is a glorified version of Cole Anthony. With the Bucks' emphasis on having strong defense in the backcourt, he would be unlikely to start over Kevin Porter Jr.
Sexton was an appealing trade candidate months ago before the Bucks re-signed Porter and Ryan Rollins and added Anthony. That ship has sailed. They don't need another guard; they need someone who can start at the three. For all his flaws, Kuzma is much closer to that than Sexton or Fontecchio.
That doesn't even touch on the AJ Green of it all. Per Cleaning the Glass, he ranked second on the team in on-off rating last season, at +7.3. He has the size and strength to guard smaller wings, providing flexibility in Doc Rivers' rotations. Green is also a candidate to start small-ball lineups, will be a crucial role player regardless, and is primed for a breakout.
Ignoring position, Sexton would be an upgrade over Kuzma. That is what one would think, anyway, despite the fact that the Jazz dumped his salary and a second-round pick for Jusuf Nurkic. With Sexton's expiring salary, the most valuable part of the deal might be moving off Kuzma's second remaining year under contract.
Any gain there, however, is offset by swapping Green for Fontecchio, who at 29 entered the league a bit late and took a sizable step back in year three. Green is already a more valuable asset. Given his rising stock and value as a 3-and-D wing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks should want to hold onto Green long-term. Fans have been anticipating a contract extension for a while now.
It might do wonders for other teams, but for the Bucks, the deal doesn't make much sense even from a pure talent perspective. They aren't severing ties with Green for a player like Sexton who doesn't really move the needle. Roster fit would be a bigger problem. There is a reason most mock trades involving Kuzma bring back another small forward. Any realistic proposal that doesn't is likely a no-go from the start.