To the surprise of many, Kyle Kuzma remained with the Milwaukee Bucks through the trade deadline. The forward is now destined to play out the rest of the season in the 414, but beyond that, there are plenty of questions about his future. In fact, Kuzma becoming an expiring contract in the summer may bode well for Milwaukee's chance of moving him for an upgrade.
Kyle Kuzma's trade value increases after the season
One reason the Milwaukee Bucks likely didn't do anything substantial at the deadline was their lack of big-salary expiring contracts. Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis, two of the Bucks who were in trade rumors the most, are both under contract beyond this season, making them less desirable to teams that may have been talking to the Bucks.
Once this season ends, Kuzma will officially be on an expiring $20.3 million deal. Teams will be more willing to pay that money, knowing he may only be with them until the end of the season. That notion will only grow if the Bucks are willing to attach draft capital to Kuzma, something that would be a given in the type of splashy moves Milwaukee is known for.
With the Milwaukee Bucks intent on improving the roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo to convince him to stay, upgrading this summer is a must. Kuzma and Portis will once again be trade candidates, but the Bucks' gaining access to more of their tradeable draft capital makes it far more likely that they will forge a deal to acquire help.
Kuzma earns plenty of criticism, but he actually hasn't been terrible for the Bucks this season. With an ever-changing role, the forward has been thrown all over the place in countless different lineups, and he's always embraced the challenge. He can be a useful piece for teams, but he's simply not the best fit for this particular Milwaukee Bucks squad.
He will spend the rest of this season essentially auditioning for his next squad, showing what he can bring to the table if someone were to acquire him next season.
One team to keep an eye on is the Memphis Grizzlies. The Bucks were interested in trading for star guard Ja Morant all the way up until the deadline buzzer went off. If that interest reawakens in the summer, Kuzma's expiring salary could make Milwaukee's package all the more appealing for a Memphis team that looks like it's heading for a rebuild.
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