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The Milwaukee Bucks made a strong offseason move after acquiring center Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers on a four-year deal worth $107 million, according to ESPN.
The Bucks, however, had to waive star Damian Lillard to make room for Turner. It was a stunning yet necessary move, as Milwaukee used the NBA's stretch provision to pay the $112.6 million owed to Lillard, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, over the next five years.
Now, there's only one question left for the Bucks: How to trade forward Kyle Kuzma?
Milwaukee landed Kuzma in a midseason three-team trade with the Washington Wizards and the New York Knicks. The Bucks let go of forward Khris Middleton, guard AJ Johnson, guard Delon Wright, and draft picks, while also acquiring center Jericho Sims from the Knicks.
The deal, however, didn't bode too well for Milwaukee. While Kuzma was productive in 33 games, averaging 14.5 points on 45.5% shooting and 5.6 rebounds, he wasn't a great fit alongside star Giannis Antetokounmpo. There's also the issue of his hefty contract worth $22.5 million per year.
Middleton, despite being slowed down by a series of injuries over the last few seasons, was the perfect partner for Antetokounmpo. He didn't need the ball too much, was a decent defender, and a reliable outside shooter. These were things that Kuzma couldn't replicate, although his handful of games with the Bucks were only a small sample size.
The Bucks' logical trade for Kyle Kuzma
Perhaps a perfect move for the Bucks is shipping Kuzma to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for forward Patrick Williams.
Williams was drafted by the Bulls as the fourth overall pick in 2020, envisioning him as a two-way frontcourt stud. Williams, however, hasn't panned out for Chicago. He has struggled to find his groove due to a spate of injuries, only playing 276 games in five seasons in Windy City. Last year, he shot an atrocious 39.7% from the field.
Going to Milwaukee could be a much-needed change of scenery for the 23-year-old Williams. Playing for a new squad and starting from scratch could unleash his true potential. He could be plugged in as a starter right away alongside Antetokounmpo and Turner in the frontcourt. He could also play a sixth man role if forward Bobby Portis gets promoted into the first unit.
The former Florida State standout has the tools to be a solid defender (an upgrade from Kuzma) and an inside presence on offense. While he's not exactly an outside shooter, he can make up for it with his energy and motor. Bucks coach Doc Rivers can also utilize the 6-foot-7 Williams if he decides to go small. A lineup of Antetokounmpo, Williams, AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., and Kevin Porter Jr. could create havoc on both ends.
Simply put, Williams hasn't scratched the surface yet.
Kyle Kuzma with the Bulls
For their part, the Bulls will get a versatile scorer in Kuzma. He has the talent to create his own shots, punish smaller defenders, and easily drop 30 points on a good day. He's also an underrated rebounder when he's willing. He could also play a sixth man role for Chicago, playing behind sophomore Matas Buzelis, who showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie stint. Kuzma could provide instant offense off the bench when Buzelis, guard Coby White, and center Nikola Vucevic are resting.
At 29 years old, Kuzma is still in his prime, and getting a more defined role could do wonders for him. To add, he won't carry a lot of pressure, unlike with the Bucks, wherein he was expected to produce right away for a perennial contender, and with the Wizards, wherein he was thrusted into the alpha role along with guard Jordan Poole.
The Bulls were the sixth-best scoring team last season, putting up 117.8 points per game. Adding Kuzma, who was a key piece in the Los Angeles Lakers' title run in 2020, could help them become even more potent offensively or maintain their ranking, at the very least.
Chicago has only been to the playoffs once—losing to, incidentally, Milwaukee in the first round in 2022—in the last eight seasons. Kuzma could help the Bulls get over the hump.
