Kyle Kuzma is a nine-year veteran and Milwaukee's fourth-highest-paid player, coming off a 13.0-point season on 58.1 percent true shooting. On a roster rebuilt around Tyler Herro and Myles Turner, he has to back up his efficient scoring with defense and rebounding.
Last season
Kuzma played 69 games at 26.2 minutes a night, averaging 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He shot 49.2 percent from the field and 34.7 percent on 3.5 threes a game, a 58.1 true shooting mark on 21.2 percent usage. The weaker numbers came elsewhere: 72.6 percent at the line, 0.7 steals, 0.4 blocks and a minus-6.6 net rating, slightly worse than the team's minus-6.1.
This summer
Milwaukee rebuilt around him. On June 23, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis went to Miami for Herro, Jaquez, Ware and Jakucionis. Turner arrived from Indiana and Taylor Jenkins took over the bench. Kuzma, now the oldest forward on the roster, carries a $20.3 million salary, fourth-highest on a $191.4 million payroll that sits $9 million under the luxury tax line.
October 11 to 16
The exhibition schedule told us little. Kuzma scored 12 in the 105-90 loss at Charlotte on October 11. He then sat for rest with most of the regulars when Chicago won 125-104 in Milwaukee on October 14. He was cleared on October 16, the day the Bucks won 128-127 at Indiana. He goes into the opener off the injury report.
This week
Behind the Buck Pass wrote that Jenkins has kept his starting five under wraps, and the forward group helps explain why. The rest of the group is young: rookies Bogoljub Markovic and Nate Ament, who was cleared from his ankle sprain Wednesday, plus Ousmane Dieng and Pete Nance, re-signed Tuesday. Fischer's reporting also has Milwaukee exploring trades, but no players have been named.
October 21
Washington opens at home after going 17-65 with a 121.5 defensive rating last season, so a scorer should find room tonight. The verdict on Kuzma runs past one game, though. Milwaukee ranked 26th in defense last season. To keep his minutes on a $20.3 million salary, he has to add stops and rebounds to his shooting. Scoring efficiently was not enough on a 32-win team.
Is Kyle Kuzma injured for the Bucks' season opener?
No. He is not on the injury report, and his only listing this month was a rest designation on October 14 that was cleared on October 16.
How much is Kyle Kuzma paid in 2026-27?
He earns $20.3 million, the fourth-largest salary on Milwaukee's $191.4 million payroll, behind Tyler Herro, Myles Turner and Damian Lillard's option.
