Based on how well he's played lately, one might find it hard to believe that there were no shortage of initial concerns regarding fit when the Milwaukee Bucks traded for Kyle Kuzma.
One of those concerns revolved around Kuzma's perimeter shooting. The versatile forward has never been a stout outside shooter, and he was in the midst of his worst 3-point shooting season when the Bucks pulled off the trade for him, shooting a mere 28.1 percent from deep. Given how vital spacing is to Milwaukee's offense, this was obviously troubling and something worth monitoring.
After an initial rocky start, however, Kuzma's shooting has improved greatly, and if he keeps this up, he could continue elevating this Milwaukee team.
Kyle Kuzma has been a strong 3-point shooter for the Bucks lately
In eight games since the All-Star break ended, Kyle Kuzma is shooting 38.2 percent from long range on 4.3 attempts per game. This has made him a versatile chess piece on offense. While he's shown he can attack the hoop with authority and score inside, this uptick in 3-point production has forced defenses to close out on him or give him a very makeable look.
Upon arrival, he often looked timid on the perimeter when it came to shooting, but since the break, he's been noticeably confident, as evidenced by him shooting 9-of-22 (40.9 percent) on his catch and shoot tries, not even thinking twice about letting it fly. A large part of this has to do with him being open, shooting 42.9 percent on his "open" triples and 37.5 percent on his "wide open" triple tries.
Speaking of being open, a significant reason for this has to do with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has always helped free up outside shooters with his gravity. Since the All-Star break, Kuzma is shooting 5-of-7 (71.4 percent) on his 3-pointers that come courtesy of a pass from the Greek Freak.
The primary concern with the Kuzma trade was whether or not he would fit alongside the Bucks' star, but in the handful of matchups they've played together, he's been the perfect complementary piece. That goes without even getting into how much he has helped the Bucks on the defensive end during his short time in town.
Of course, it goes without saying that eight contests is a small sample size, and Kuzma's track record suggests that he cannot keep up this level of spacing. However, if he can keep his percentage above 35 percent, he could remain a dangerous piece. With the looks he will get playing next to Giannis and Damian Lillard, that is more than possible for him.
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