When the Dallas Mavericks shocked the basketball world by trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, it wasn’t just a seismic shift for the two teams involved. No, as it turns out, it was also the final domino that allowed the Milwaukee Bucks to pull off their own trade deadline deal for Kyle Kuzma.
At the time, Kuzma’s (supposed) versatility as a scorer, rebounder and defender made him an ideal fit for a Milwaukee team that needed all those things in spades. His ability to create his own shot gave the Bucks a much-needed third option behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, especially considering the decline of their would-be third star in Khris Middleton.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Mavericks unwittingly threw the Bucks a bit of a lob there, as the Dallas front office had initially expressed interest in Kuzma before pivoting to the Doncic trade, marking the second straight year Dallas had pursued the versatile forward.
Little did they know, their loss would be the Bucks’ gain.
The Bucks owe a debt of gratitude to Dallas for their new forward
The Mavericks’ interest in Kuzma was no secret. After all, they very nearly acquired him a season ago before he ultimately turned down the deal to stay with the Washington Wizards. Dallas ended up trading for PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford instead and went all the way to the NBA Finals.
This year, reports say they actually circled back before deciding on trading their franchise player. But when the opportunity to trade for Anthony Davis arose, Dallas shifted its focus, leaving Kuzma available for the Milwaukee Bucks to swoop in and secure.
Per Scotto, the Mavericks had also explored deals for Jimmy Butler in their search for a high-impact wing player to team up next to Doncic. Those talks eventually fell apart, and Butler ended up going to Golden State. Once the Mavs front office went all-in on trading Luka, their plans changed, and Kuzma became an afterthought.
For the Milwaukee Bucks, that was the opening they needed.
It's unclear at this time whether or not the Wizards even had any real interest in the Dallas' package, which might have consisted of Washington and Gafford, who were reportedly part of the original offer for Butler.
But with the Mavericks out of the picture, Bucks general manager Jon Horst moved quickly to acquire Kuzma, sending Khris Middleton and AJ Johnson to the Wizards. And as they say, the rest is history.
In hindsight, it's funny to think that none of it would have been possible without the Doncic trade. Had Dallas remained in the mix for Kuzma, the Milwaukee Bucks might have been forced to overpay or miss out on him entirely.
Instead, they landed a player who has already shown flashes of playoff upside even despite his continued inconsistencies. He's averaging 14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 10 games for the Bucks so far, and while his efficiency still leaves quite a bit to be desired, he's definitely been a bright spot on the other end with his hustle and versatility. The Bucks have returned to their winning ways since the All-Star break, and the new acquisitions are responsible.
But the point here is really that it wouldn't be a reach to say that the Doncic trade didn’t just reshape the Mavericks and Lakers; it altered the trajectory of several teams, too, including the Bucks.
By removing Dallas from the Kuzma sweepstakes, it created an opportunity for Milwaukee to address one of its most pressing needs. This writer argued earlier that Kuzma could be the stout wing defender the Bucks have always needed, and thus far, that still seems to be the case. And while Kuzma’s impact remains a work in progress, his acquisition could prove to be a turning point in the Milwaukee Bucks’ season.
The ripple effects of blockbuster trades are a reminder of how interconnected the NBA truly is. One team’s decision to go all-in on a superstar can create opportunities for others, and the Bucks were quick to capitalize. Whether Kuzma ever actually becomes the missing piece that propels Milwaukee to another championship remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the Bucks owe a debt of gratitude to the Mavericks for making it all possible.
The Bucks’ trade deadline deal for Kyle Kuzma was made possible by the Luka Doncic trade. With the Mavericks shifting their focus to Anthony Davis, Milwaukee seized the opportunity to add a versatile forward who could be the missing piece in their championship puzzle.
While Kuzma’s impact is still very much a to-be-decided kind of deal, his acquisition is a reminder of how one blockbuster trade can reshape the entire league.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.