Bucks have painfully obvious trade partner for a Kyle Kuzma deal

A Kuzma trade is possible.
Milwaukee Bucks, Kyle Kuzma
Milwaukee Bucks, Kyle Kuzma | Stacy Revere/GettyImages

The Milwaukee Bucks could trade Kyle Kuzma to the Kings for Malik Monk if Sacramento fails to land Jonathan Kuminga. The Kings have been interested in Kuzma for years, and Sam Vecenie believes that the holdovers in the front office would still trade for him to solve their forward woes. Sacramento has too many on-ball options and is shopping Monk. This could quickly turn into a slam-dunk trade for the Bucks.

Milwaukee gave up Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Delon Wright, and a first-round draft pick to land Kuzma before the deadline. They hoped the 6’9 forward would help them contend, but Kuzma’s minutes and production dropped over mightily in the playoffs as the Bucks were eliminated in the opening round.

Kuzma has two years left on his contract. The Bucks want to contend and just saw him fall flat in the playoffs. Trading his $22.4 million salary won’t be easy. Milwaukee would have to find a team with interest, and it appears that organization is the Kings.

Bucks’ only hope of trading Kyle Kuma is sending him to the Kings

Fans should not be surprised the Kings are interested in Kuzma. They love score-first options known for handing out buckets. Sacramento has traded for Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan to be their top options. None of the three are known for their defense but are fringe All-Stars because of their offensive production.

The Kings fired Monte McNair and hired Scott Perry to lead their front office, but owner Vivek Ranadive has the final say. It was the owner pushing to acquire LaVine. He may do the same for Kuzma if they can’t land Jonathan Kuminga.

The 29-year-old averaged 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 31.8 minutes per game during the regular season after being traded to Milwaukee. He can get buckets, but his negative value over replacement player (VORP) tells fans all they need to know about his contributions.

Bucks fans would be ecstatic to see him go. Milwaukee desperately needs another shot creator. They would get additional floor spacing and playmaking with Monk but would lose size. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner in the paint, the Bucks should make this trade immediately. Monk is an upgrade on a team that is clearly all-in on winning and trying to keep the Greek Freak happy in Cream City.

Milwaukee Bucks fans believe trading Kyle Kuzma is a pipe dream, especially with teams having to give up draft capital to dump similar contracts this summer. Jon Horst and the front office must find a franchise who values Kuzma, and it is the Sacramento Kings if Vecenie’s reporting is true. Swapping Kuz for Monk would be a slam dunk and improve the Bucks' odds of contending. That is a must in their current situation.

The Bucks will be watching Kuminga’s restricted free agency closely. A new avenue could open up if the Kings miss on the talented forward. It may be Milwaukee’s only path to trading Kuzma. Fans are hopeful, and Horst should certainly be calling the Kings to make the deal.