Kyle Kuzma started his career with the Milwaukee Bucks great. He was sent there by the Washington Wizards in exchange for fan favorite and proven star Khris Middleton. Some fans thought they found a great reinforcement because of his scoring spree. Even Doc Rivers thought they did. The one-time NBA champion scored in double figures in 13 of his first 14 games with the team.
Problem was, his numbers dipped as the season went on to the point that there were requests that he should be related to the bench during the regular season. The playoffs came and nothing changed.
Kuzma made the wrong side of the history when he recorded failed to register anything in major statistical category in the first game of their first round series with Indiana Pacers. It is considered as one of the worst performances in the playoffs in NBA history/ The Bucks lost in five games.
Clamor for Kuzma to get traded just got stronger after that but Rivers kept his faith on Kuzma, defending him for his struggle. He said it was their system that made Kuzma have a hard time finding his shot.
“I mean, Kyle had two shots in the first half, both with two seconds on the shot clock. So, like, Kuzma can play. But we gotta involve him. And we gotta make sure we keep him involved,” Rivers said in April.
Doc Rivers thinks Kyle Kuzma is figuring things out
Five months have past and the Bucks are going to run it back by re-signing the young players who were with them in the last playoffs. As for Kuzma, he thought he did not play like himself in that postseason and so, he is eager to prove himself.
Rivers revealed in the recent media day that Kuz is integrating himself with the system, starting with learning the best shot he could take. They conducted practices and the 30-year-old forward is being more aggressive but with efficiency in mind.
One particular thing he has improved on his shot selection.
“Kuz’s key is just his shot profile, getting that to where it should be. In Washington, he could take literally any shot,” Rivers told reporters via Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
“In those five years in Washington, he took a ton of mid-range shots, and that’s just not what we want, and so he got the message. I mean, he took threes and layups today, and it was great.”
Awareness is a good first step to getting better. Kuzma knows he did not play well and for the new season, he knows what to do now.
“I didn’t play how I wanted to play. This offseason, it’s just like get to the fundamentals, getting back to the basic, being able to have a healthy summer, which I really didn’t have last summer, which I’m excited to attack,” he said in his Youtube channel.
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