Kyle Kuzma's tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks has been rough, and he didn't do much to change that in his 2026-27 debut. While there were glimpses of solid play in there, Kuzma largely struggled as the Bucks fell to the Washington Wizards. If these struggles persist, sooner or later, the Bucks must turn to Nate Ament and end this experiment.
Kuzma struggles in season debut
Let's start with some positives. Kuzma did have six rebounds, three assists, and three steals, making a nice impact in several regards. However, it was all overshadowed by him shooting 2-of-9 on his shot attempts and finishing with three fouls and three turnovers. Among the lowlights were a turnover off an ugly pass, hitting the side of the backboard on a layup, and missing a wide-open triple.
In particular, though, Kuzma's struggles were on full display at the end of the third quarter and into the final frame. When he checked in with nine seconds left in the third, the Bucks were up 93-88. When he checked out with seven minutes left in the game, the Wizards were up 111-98. Not all of it is his fault, of course, but Kuzma missing all three of his shots and tallying a turnover in that stretch didn't help.
If this continues, the Milwaukee Bucks have no incentive to play Kuzma. His contract will expire after the season, and they can simply let him walk. If he's struggling, the team might as well accelerate the timeline for rookie Nate Ament and see what he's made of.
Ament could use trial by fire with Bucks
No one is saying that Ament would come in and immediately be more productive than Kuzma. He is still raw and will need time to develop. Yet, his struggles would be far more justifiable, considering he is a 19-year-old rookie, while Kuzma is one of the few players on the roster over 30. It would be far easier to stomach Ament struggling and developing rather than riding the Kyle Kuzma roller coaster.
And it's not a guarantee that Ament would struggle. He showed glimpses in the preseason before he got hurt, and Coach Taylor Jenkins has raved about the forward every chance he gets. With all of the work he's put in, Ament might be ready for an opportunity sooner than most expect. If Kuzma keeps playing like this, he'd better be.
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