There is no telling yet how the Milwaukee Bucks' starting lineup will look for the 2025-26 NBA season. The wing position is uncertain, which may force Kyle Kuzma to start at small forward as the best big wing defender on the roster.
Kuzma's tenure in Milwaukee has been far from smooth. Being acquired for a franchise legend in Khris Middleton and a young first-round draft pick in AJ Johnson is always going to be tough to get the fans on your side. After a dreadful playoff series, many fans feel that Kuzma should not be starting. However, the Bucks might be forced to do so.
Kuzma's size might keep him in the Bucks' starting lineup
In the regular season, Kuzma averaged 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on shooting splits of .455/.333/.663 in 33 games. The stats don't look too bad, but the playoffs lost him a lot of faith from the Bucks fanbase. Averaging less than six points in a playoff series is poor, and let's not forget his Game 1 performance, where he didn't register a single statistic.
Alongside Kuzma, the other bigger wing is veteran Taurean Prince, another player who found his way to the bench after a long spell in the starting five. The Amir Coffey signing could also be a potential threat at the wing position, but it is tough to see him starting anytime soon.
An option the Milwaukee Bucks do have is surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo with shooters. That could lead to both AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. starting together. Both are solid defenders; the worry is their size, as they will be hunted by bigger wings on defense.
Defensively, Kuzma was one of the better Bucks players when he arrived in Wisconsin. He held opponents to 44 percent shooting, only bettered by Ryan Rollins from the main rotation. In a lineup with Giannis and now Myles Turner, that is a lot of athleticism, length, and defensive versatility that was so desperately needed last season.
Doc Rivers has some decisions to make, and we don't know the style of basketball he will try to instill. Rumors of Giannis playing as a point forward and the main ball-handler could very well happen. That would mean Kuzma could be starting on the bench due to his below-average shooting compared to other players on the roster.
During his time in Los Angeles, he showed that he can be a contributor on offense, but that was almost five years ago. His time in Washington did not fill many viewers with much optimism. Decision-making is another area that Kuzma needs to work on. Too often, he is taking contested 3-pointers and is erratic when driving to the basket. Cut that out and be more complementary, and Milwaukee will have a real chance of contending in the Eastern Conference.
Defensively, it feels like Kuzma will be fine and can be the key wing defender against bigger bodies, and that might just keep him in the starting lineup. However, if his offense doesn't improve, then we might see a repeat of the playoffs, where he finds minutes hard to come by.