Milwaukee GM shuts down Kyle Kuzma trade rumors

The Milwaukee Bucks have been going through a massive roster makeover this offseason. Their most significant move was getting rid of Damian Lillard and using some of that money to sign Myles Turner. They also signed Cole Anthony and then lost Brook Lopez to the Los Angeles Clippers. The team around Giannis Antetokounmpo looks a lot different now.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Athletic’s Milwaukee Bucks Staff Writer Eric Nehm, Bucks general manager Jon Horst discussed Milwaukee’s roller coaster offseason. When explicitly asked about what was on the docket with Kuzma, Horst shut down the rumors about Kuzma and said that they believe in Kuzma a lot.

Horst said, “I think Kyle gives us a chance to play fast, a chance to be huge, play a lot of different big lineups. He’s a plus-plus defender at multiple positions, and he’s a guy that offensively, when he plays with confidence and plays within the flow, is very impactful.”

“We still believe in Kyle,” Horst said. “He struggled. He hadn’t been to the playoffs in a while either. And I thought he played great for us for most of the regular season after we acquired him, and I think he struggled in the playoffs. And he would tell you that. Doc and I have already gone to L.A. to spend time with him. Doc’s gonna spend time with him again.”

The Bucks grabbed Kyle Kuzma at the trade deadline to bolster their roster for a playoff run. The results were mixed. Kuzma still showed off his talent and athleticism, but he could not fully grasp the system in place in Milwaukee, and that’s where the inconsistencies came in. Horst continued, “I think the biggest thing with Kyle is just getting the familiarity, working with our coaches in the off-season, being part of a training camp, and just really building into a system where he understands where he’s gonna get his looks, how he can have his impact, and where we can understand him better. He’s very, very good (at power forward). And so I think getting him more minutes at the four … will be helpful. “He’s a guy we believe in a lot, and I think he will have a big year with us this year, just having continuity with a good team and a full offseason with a good team, which he hasn’t had in a while. So we’re excited for him.” The Bucks are in an interesting spot now, with Giannis Antetokounmpo staying in Milwaukee but with Damian Lillard gone. They are still talented, but there are big questions about their other pieces.