Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn't sold on the new-look Milwaukee Bucks this summer, as ESPN insider Shams Charania reported that he expressed interest in joining the New York Knicks. However, he will be on the Bucks to open the season. If Milwaukee wants to keep him there, they need everyone to be their best to help this squad contend, but Kyle Kuzma will particularly be under a microscope.
The Bucks need Kyle Kuzma if they want to be a contender
Any success the Milwaukee Bucks see this season will be a team effort. Gone are the days when the Bucks have one or two other clear-cut All-Stars next to Giannis. Now, they've put together a roster of quality role players from top to bottom. Kuzma is the elephant in the room, and it starts with his $22.4 million salary this coming season. A player making that much must be a positive contributor.
Kuzma wasn't solely at fault for Milwaukee's early exit last season, but he undoubtedly played his part. Despite a solid stretch to close the regular season, Kuzma was flat-out absysmal in the playoffs as he posted gruesome numbers and lost any good will he had built up to that point. His season ended as a spectator after being benched by Doc Rivers.
This season, Kyle Kuzma could terrifyingly hold the keys to the Milwaukee Bucks becoming their best selves. On a roster that is now built around youth, speed, athleticism, and versatility, Kuzma has all of the tools to succeed. However, he must put the pieces together. If he does and can make a legitimate impact on the court, it makes Milwaukee's contending dreams all the more realistic.
Kuzma didn't do much to give Bucks fans optimism in the preseason opener. He finished with a mere two points on 1-of-6 shooting, with three of those misses coming from inside the paint. The forward looked like the same player who was heaving shots in the postseason before getting yanked from the rotation. He simply has to get it out of his system before the regular season.
Obviously, Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Milwaukee Bucks won't solely revolve around Kuzma's performance, but it will unquestionably play a large part. That's terrifying. It will be the most pressure Kuzma has faced in his entire NBA career, and only time will tell how he responds to it.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.