After shaking off a rough season-opening performance, Kyle Kuzma has been... surprisingly good for the Milwaukee Bucks. The forward has grabbed his starting opportunity by the horns, and it does not look like he will give it up anytime soon. If Kuzma keeps playing like this, though, his time in Milwaukee might come to an end as the trade deadline inches closer.
Kuzma has been playing excellent basketball
On paper, Kuzma is exactly the kind of player contending teams need. He's an athletic forward who can get out in transition, defend, rebound, pass, and score in bunches. Though he hasn't been that type of player for most of his Milwaukee Bucks tenure, he has certainly looked the part over his last three games, and he undeniably deserves his flowers.
In this stretch, Kuzma is averaging 15 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while burying 54.5 percent of his shots, including 42.9 percent from deep. It's a small sample size, without a doubt, but it shows the type of player Kuzma can be. If the Milwaukee Bucks had this version of the forward in town from the start, the Giannis Antetokounmpo era might still be underway. He's been that good.
On an expiring deal and being just one of three players on the roster over 30, Kuzma likely isn't in the Bucks' long-term plans. That's no secret. Rather than letting him walk this summer, though, if there is an opportunity for the team to get anything of value for him ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline, it won't be shocking if they pounce on it.
Kuzma can help a contender win games
It's a long season. Teams are still feeling out their rosters. Down the line, if someone feels like they are a productive two-way forward away from getting over the hump, perhaps they'd call the Bucks to see what it might take to get Kuzma. While his $20.5 million deal isn't exactly cheap, it is, as mentioned, an expiring deal, so there would be no long-term commitment, adding to his desirability.
Right off the bat, the Golden State Warriors make sense as a suitor, as rumors persist that they are fielding offers on Kristaps Porzingis, who will be out of the lineup for the foreseeable future. A trade centered around the two—with the Bucks getting some sort of further compensation—could be the type of win-win move both teams need.
For any of this to happen, though, Kyle Kuzma must continue this recent stretch of hot play. His time with the Milwaukee Bucks has felt like a roller coaster at times due to his inconsistent play. If he has finally turned the corner, it could make him a key trade deadline candidate.
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