The Milwaukee Bucks' decision to trade for Kyle Kuzma came with plenty of warranted skepticism.
Despite all of the questions and concerns, the one factor that made this trade justifiable was that it would allow the Milwaukee Bucks to utilize smaller lineups. With Kuzma, the Bucks could use him as the power forward and slide Giannis Antetokounmpo to center. Placing the Greek Freak at the five is a move the Bucks famously used often during their 2021 title run. That worked out pretty well.
Giannis at center unlocks a new level of versatility because between Antetokounmpo, Kuzma and the three other players Doc Rivers puts on the court, there is a great amount of switching defensively and perimeter shooting offensively. The Bucks just haven't had the personnel to utilize this strategy much since the title run. Now, they do, but they aren't using it as often as they should.
The Milwaukee Bucks' small ball strategy has been largely forgotten
Since the NBA All-Star break concluded, the Bucks have utilized Giannis at center and Kuzma at the four lineups for just 14 total minutes. Here is a breakdown of those lineups:
D. Lillard - G. Antetokounmpo - T. Prince - K. Kuzma - K. Porter Jr. - Six minutes.
D. Lillard - G. Antetokounmpo - T. Prince - K. Kuzma - G. Trent Jr. - Three minutes.
G. Antetokounmpo - T. Prince - K. Kuzma - K. Porter Jr. - A. Green - Three minutes.
D. Lillard - G. Antetokounmpo - K. Kuzma - G. Trent Jr. - A. Green - One minute.
D. Lillard - G. Antetokounmpo - T. Prince - K. Kuzma - A. Green - One minute.
This is unfathomable, and Milwaukee's recent performance against the OKC Thunder serves as the perfect representation of why.
Brook Lopez still has something to give, but he's struggled mightily against younger, faster and more agile teams like OKC. Thunder players shot 12-of-18 (66.7 percent) when defended by Lopez. The big man struggling against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who went 4-of-5 against Lopez, is understandable, but when the opposing center, Isaiah Hartenstein, shoots 6-of-7 (85.7 percent), problems arise.
It's clear that Lopez's best days defensively are behind him. He can still get a few blocks at the hoop here and there, but the second he's pulled out beyond the paint, he's at a disadvantage because the ball-handler can blow by him with little resistance. This becomes less of an issue when Giannis slides to the center spot because he has undeniable athletic ability and mobility.
To cut him some slack, part of the reason Rivers hasn't used these small lineups more often has to do with Jericho Sims giving them athleticism at center. However, with Sims banged up and surgery being on the table to correct it, Doc Rivers may not have a choice but to deploy these smaller lineups often. At least, one would hope that's the route they take.
One could argue that any of the proposed lineups need more minutes, but that one featuring Lillard, Antetokounmpo, Prince, Kuzma and Trent could especially do some damage. The Greek Freak and Kuzma could cause problems for other teams defensively, while Lillard, Prince and Trent are three of the team's best shooters to provide spacing on the other end.
To compete with the best of the best - the Bucks remain winless against the top three teams in the Eastern Conference this season - going small is a strategy Milwaukee must utilize more. It doesn't need to be their only lineup combination, but 14 minutes after the All-Star break is far too few for a team that continues to struggle against these uber-athletic squads.
The Kyle Kuzma trade will certainly not look as great if the Milwaukee Bucks continue to shy away from utilizing the one combination that justified the trade in the first place.
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