NBA
One analyst is giving Bucks’ Kyle Kuzma a ‘pass’ for his 2024-25 campaign
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated1 hour ago on August 07, 2025
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks finished 48-34 in 2024-25. That was good enough for the fifth seed in the East. However, the Bucks lost in the first round to the Indiana Pacers.
With Damian Lillard no longer on the team, the Bucks will need several players to step up. This includes 30-year-old Kyle Kuzma. He was traded to Milwaukee at the 2024-25 deadline. Recently, NBA insider Kevin O’Connor said Kuzma deserves a “pass” for his underwhelming performances with the Bucks. Can Kyle Kumza improve his production in 2025-26?
Kyle Kuzma struggled upon arriving in Milwaukee
“I think it’s fair to give him a pass for last season. It’s hard to go from losing from four straight years with no expectations to win, to suddenly starting having winning expectations,”
– @KevinOConnorNBA on Kyle Kuzma
(h/t @HoopAnalysisNet ) pic.twitter.com/7k7kU93hEI
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 6, 2025
In the 2017 NBA draft, the Nets used the 27th overall pick to select Kyle Kuzma out of Utah. Kuzma was then sent to the Lakers on draft night. That’s where Kuzma spent the first four years of his professional career. During 2019-20, Kyle Kuzma was part of the Lakers’ championship roster that won the NBA Finals. He played in 61 of their 82 games and made nine starts that season.
After the 2020-21 season, Kuzma was involved in a five-team trade that sent the PF to Washington. He spent four and a half seasons with the Wizards. Kuzma played in 232 games for Washington and made 230 starts. At the 2024-25 trade deadline, the Wizards sent Kuzma to the Bucks in exchange for Khris Middleton.
Bucks jersey numbers for the 2025-26 season:
#00 – Jericho Sims
#0 – Kyle Kuzma (previously wore #18)
#3 – Myles Turner (previously wore #33, IND)
#5 – Gary Trent Jr.
#7 – Kevin Porter Jr. (previously wore #3)
#9 – Bobby Portis
#11 – Gary Harris (previously wore #14, ORL)
#12 –… pic.twitter.com/EY1bbxnrN3— BucksRealm (@BucksRealm) July 30, 2025
Kyle Kuzma went from one of the worst teams in the East to a contender in the playoffs. That’s a massive change in expectation, according to NBA insider Kevin O’Connor. He said Kuzma should be given a “pass” for his struggles with Milwaukee. After he was traded to the Bucks, Kuzma started 33 of 32 games. He averaged 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.
However, it wasn’t just with Milwaukee where Kuzma saw struggles in 2024-25. He played the first 32 games of last season for the Wizards. averaging 15.2 points per game. That is down from his 22.2 points per game in 2023-24. On Milwaukee’s roster, Kuzma is the only player besides Giannis Antetokounmpo who’s averaged 20+ points per game. Myles Turner was signed this offseason, but his highest average was 18.0 points per game in 2022-23. Can Kyle Kuzma put a rough 2024-25 campaign behind him and help the Bucks contend in 2025-26?
