It would be difficult to understate the frustration of Milwaukee Bucks fans after Kyle Kuzma came to town at last year's trade deadline. The shot selection, the inefficiency, the overall decision-making. It was an all-around disaster.
To his credit, Kuzma has been much better this season, cleaning up his shot diet, playing tight defense, cutting down on mistakes. For some, however, his public perception hasn't changed. Bleacher Report's Top 10 list of the NBA's most overrated players made that much clear with Kuzma penciled in at No. 9.
Kuzma hasn't lived down last year's disaster despite bounce back year
The basis for including Kuzma on the list includes several factors. He remains a poor 3-point shooter when many players who couldn't shoot at all earlier in their careers have become capable marksmen. At a salary of $22 million, he is overpaid for what he is. Perhaps it's still difficult to shed the prestige, however superficial or hollow, that comes with averaging over 20 points per game with the Wizards in 2022-23 and '23-24.
There is, too, the notion that Kuzma was supposed to come in and be a young, athletic star to replace the aging, injured Khris Middleton. In reality, the move was likely made for financial reasons, specifically to duck the second apron, more than anything else.
But his numbers across the board indicate that Kuzma is having a much better season. Although he did not shoot the ball as well in the month ahead of the break, his 2-point field percentage remains near a career-high at 55 percent. He is much improved at the free-throw line, where he is converting a tolerable 73.3 percent of his attempts versus 66.3 percent as a Buck last season.
While his nightly scoring average is down, that's due to a reduction in minutes as Kuzma has alternated between the bench and the starting lineup. His per-36 figures all exceed his post-trade stats in 2024-2025. On the season, he is providing 12.9 points, five rebounds, and 2.5 assists. His turnovers have decreased to 1.6 per game. A reflection of his improved playmaking, he's produced an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.57 versus 1.0 last season.
That doesn't even touch on the defensive end, where Kuzma has done real work as Milwaukee's only real wing defender (that is, until Ousmane Dieng arrived). While he still hasn't tipped the on-off rating scales in his favor, his overall rating of negative-4.6 is a drastic improvement from negative-12.4 of a season ago with the Bucks.
By win shares per 48 minutes, he is having his best season since 2020-21 with the Lakers. Between the Wizards and Bucks last year, he registered a net negative. No one would argue that Kuzma is an All-Star, but he's been a serviceable role player.
Unfortunately, his first impression was such a flop that he has yet to overcome it. Laying an egg in the playoffs supplied a dramatic flair that, to NBA fans at large, may have all but sealed the media narrative.
Ahead of a potential trade this summer, when Kuzma will be an expiring contract for next season, both he and the Bucks will hope for a strong finish to continue salvaging his value in the eyes of rival front offices.