The LA Clippers are not in a hole as deep as $42 million over two seasons, and they should stay away from dipping their feet into one by avoiding Kyle Kuzma at the trade deadline. He is set to earn this figure combining this season and next, yet every team he has been on has traded him, with the reasoning consistently the same: a brutally apparent conflict in play and value.
Without magnification, Kuzma has done well for Doc Rivers and the Milwaukee Bucks. He started for 14 games, and played his other 14 off the bench, looking like one of the best sixth men in the NBA.
In 28 games total, Kuzma has averaged 13.5 points and 4.9 rebounds, shooting 51.3% from the floor. This appears excellent in 26.7 minutes.
However, Kuzma makes a ton of errant mistakes, is too inconsistent, and is not the offensive-minded power forward the Clippers need at the deadline. That is coincidentally his teammate and superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Keeping distance from Kyle Kuzma must be a priority for the Clippers
The Milwaukee Bucks withstood the challenging process of a four-team trade to get rid of Khris Middleton and acquire Kyle Kuzma. Other pieces were moved to the Washington Wizards, San Antonio Spurs, and New York Knicks, but these two veterans took over the headlines.
Despite assuming his game would work for head coach Doc Rivers, Kuzma has been prone to error. In fact, he has posted 50 turnovers this season, tying Cole Anthony for the third-highest on the team in 2025-26, with 24 in December, the second-highest on the team.
Thus, he does not mesh well with other turnover-heavy players like Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Additionally, Kuzma is a 6-foot-8 big man with numerous efficiency-oriented concerns. He has shot 5-12 on two occasions this month, once against the Detroit Pistons and the other in Milwaukee’s latest loss in Indiana, then 2-7 against the Pistons earlier and 1-4 in Washington directly before.
Moreover, how would the LA Clippers function as a professional basketball team with James Harden on the court alongside Kuzma? That is a ton of turnovers and minimal defense; it would be a walk in the park to exploit the Clippers.
That said, the Clippers should save $42 million and not even bother calling the Bucks for Kuzma. It would be the most obvious regretful addition.