Bucks head coach Doc Rivers knows exactly what kind of player Kyle Kuzma is at this point in his career, and the problem is he can't do anything about it even with Giannis Antetokounmpo now sidelined for at least a few weeks.
The truth that is rapidly emerging early this season is that Kyle Kuzma simply thrives off the bench where expectations are lower and possessions are less critical. He's averaged 13.3 points and 4.4 rebounds so far this season with a slightly reduced role, playing just 25.9 minutes per game.
But with Giannis out, Rivers officially has no choice but to keep giving him starter minutes.
Doc Rivers will have to play Kyle Kuzma starters' minutes for now
So far, the evidence is pretty clear when you watch Kuzma operate. He's been much better with a defined role against second units, and getting his touches in rhythm without the pressure of being a primary option.
But even with the improvements, he's still shooting jus 49.6 percent from the field and 28.3 percent from distance. Per Cleaning the Glass, he's in the 47th percentile in offensive rating this season, and the Bucks are scoring -0.1 fewer points per 100 whenever Kuzma steps on the floor.
Starting forces him into situations he's not equipped to handle. Because he's shown that when in those spots, he suddenly feels the need to create offense against set defenses by putting up tough shots instead of making the extra pass within the flow of the offense. Add to that the fact that he's already consistently guarding opponents' best wings, and excelling in that role just isn't in the cards for someone like Kuzma.
But what is a head coach to do?
Milwaukee is already painfully thin at the forward positions. Losing Giannis means someone has to absorb those minutes and shot attempts. And Kuzma's the only player on the roster with the size and offensive capability to even attempt filling that void, even if he's clearly not suited for it. (It doesn't help that Rivers has made it painfully clear he has no plans of playing Andre Jackson Jr. any time soon.)
This is the nightmare scenario Rivers was probably dreading since training camp. He structured rotations around Giannis being available, which meant Kuzma could settle into a bench role where his limitations matter less. Now that safety net is gone, and Rivers is stuck playing Kuzma 30+ minutes a night while hoping he doesn't completely tank the offense.
The likely scenario is that Kuzma will eat into a good chunk of those minutes, while the remainder will be staggered between Amir Coffey (despite his recent performances, not because of them) and Gary Harris.
Rivers can't even stagger lineups to minimize the damage because Milwaukee needs Kuzma's size on the floor when Giannis isn't there. The alternative is going absurdly small or playing guys who are even less ready for that responsibility.
This is what happens when roster construction doesn't account for injury scenarios. The Bucks built a team that works when everyone's healthy but falls apart the moment their best player misses time. Kuzma's stuck being the square peg Rivers has to force into a round hole.
The next few weeks will test whether Kuzma can rise to an occasion he's clearly not built for, or whether he'll prove exactly why Milwaukee was trying to trade him in the first place. Rivers already knows the answer. He just has no other options.
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