On Thursday night, Kyle Kuzma showed his abilities as a primary scoring option - something he hasn't had the chance to display much on the Milwaukee Bucks. Typically, Kuzma has to defer to Giannis Antetokounmpo and other Bucks ahead of him in the pecking order, but he got the spotlight against the Celtics. Kuzma's surprising scoring outburst could have a lot of benefits for the Bucks, whether it leads to more wins or increases his trade value in a potential fire sale.
Kuzma is still a professional bucket getter
It's easy to forget Kuzma's abilities as a high-volume scorer because he's adapted his playstyle since arriving in Milwaukee. But just a few years ago, he was the leading scorer for the Wizards and averaging over 20 points per game. He hasn't been the most consistent player, for either Washington or Milwaukee, but he is still capable of a takeover when he's in a rhythm with good matchups.
Against the Celtics, Kuzma smartly took advantage of his opportunities without dominating the ball excessively. He hit a total of 13 shots (13-of-17 from the field on the way to 31 points) but nearly all of them were assisted. Instead of taking the ball in isolation, Kuzma smartly realized that he could score easier off of feeds from the Bucks guards and in transition.
At the same time, Kuzma was able to attack the Celtics' depleted front line with his unique skills as a power forward. Kuz can use his physicality at 6-foot-8 and 221lbs to bully smaller wings in the post and on drives. But he can also take advantage of slower-footed defenders with his handle and shooting ability.
When it's all clicking, Kuzma can be a problem for opposing defenses. In a season that has quickly turned south due to injuries and disappointing play from marquee addition Myles Turner, Kuzma may need more dominant showings to keep the Bucks afloat. He doesn't need to score 30 points every game, but Kuzma should look to score when the offense stalls without Giannis and he has an advantageous situation.
Kuzma's season-best performance against the Celtics was a great display of his prior confidence as a first option and his team-first mentality on the Bucks. He played beautifully off Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. all game long, making the Bucks offense as a whole difficult to guard.
Even if Giannis requests a trade and the Bucks season shifts completely, Kuzma's scoring improvements could still benefit the Bucks. He's proven himself as more of a winning player this season and contending teams could be interested in him for frontcourt depth. If he can play well enough to fetch some young talent or draft capital in return, the Bucks will be better set for their rebuild.