The NBA season is rapidly approaching the time on the calendar when conversations between general managers are really going to start intensifying. When that happens, there is one former Los Angeles Lakers forward who will want to avoid the rumor mill updates. That would be Kyle Kuzma.
Dec. 15 will be the date when many trade restrictions for offseason signings will be lifted. That will mean front office executives have more flexibility and maneuverability when it comes to drafting up potential deals with opposing teams.
The Milwaukee Bucks should be one of the franchises out there who will be eyeing an upgrade. With a record of 8-11, reinforcements are certainly needed in Milwaukee. Any pursuit of anything close to a star player is almost guaranteed to involve Kuzma.
$22.4 million is roughly how much the Bucks forward is earning in 2025-26. His production this season is not quite matching that salary figure. In an effort for one last desperate push around Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kuzma could easily find himself on the move again after only arriving in Milwaukee last year.
Kyle Kuzma’s fit with the Bucks is quickly proving to be short-term
The former Laker is already getting caught up in speculation ahead of Dec. 15. Kuzma’s name recently surfaced in a rumor mill round-up from Michael Scotto.
Scotto wrote, “The Milwaukee Bucks have conducted background due diligence on [Zach] LaVine and others around the league, as usual, sources told HoopsHype. … Kuzma has been linked to the [Sacramento] Kings via trade rumors for several seasons.”
There is no immediate rush to get that deal done, according to Scotto. However, this will likely not be the last time Kuzma is connected in a potential package going outward.
The former NBA champion has the third largest salary figure on the Bucks at this time behind Giannis and Myles Turner. Neither of those two should be expected to exit Milwaukee this season.
In 18 appearances for the Bucks, Kuzma is averaging 13.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 26.3 minutes per game, while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 28.8 percent from beyond the arc. In short, nothing about his contributions screams irreplaceable.
Kuzma is just not the difference-maker that a team with competitive aspirations needs at his dollar value. If the Bucks want to ensure the Giannis era continues, they will need every helpful addition they can get. That will come at a cost, and that price stands out in a very clear manner right now.
