The Milwaukee Bucks engaged in a desperate trade last season, only to end up getting sent home in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
In a huge four-team deal, the Milwaukee Bucks parted ways with Khris Middleton and AJ Johnson in a deal centered around Kyle Kuzma.
While most have focused on the Bucks moving on from Middleton, it seems like the organization may have lost an underrated player in Johnson.
Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty ImagesAJ Johnson shines in Washington Wizards’ NBA Summer League win
The Washington Wizards recently took on the Utah Jazz in the 2025 NBA Summer League. While the Wizards suffered an 86-76 loss, it wasn’t because of Johnson.
If anything, Johnson impacted the game the most for the Wizards. To be precise, the 20-year-old finished the night with a game-high 25 points.
He did so by shooting 10-of-16 from the field, including a 2-of-5 showing from the three-point line. Additionally, Johnson also had 5 rebounds and 3 assists to his name.
Sure, this is only the Summer League, but Johnson is showing early signs of breaking out after the Bucks gave up on him after half a season during his rookie year.
Milwaukee Bucks may have made a mistake by trading AJ Johnson for Kyle Kuzma
After starting his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kyle Kuzma was traded to the Wizards in 2021. Since then, Kuzma became a top-notch scorer for the team, albeit never playing postseason basketball.
Considering he was 29 years old when the Bucks traded for him, it felt like the team would improve. After all, adding a former NBA champion who is in the prime of his career is a decent move.
Unfortunately, Kuzma’s stint with the Bucks has been incredibly disappointing. He averaged just 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game in the regular season.
But the real punch in the gut was Kuzma’s abysmal performance in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. The 29-year-old averaged just 5.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game over five contests.
He also shot a terrible 34.3% from the field and 20.0% from deep. As a result, it’s no surprise that Bucks fans want the team to part ways with Kuzma sooner rather than later.
Now, with Johnson breaking out with the Wizards, it only makes the trade look worse for the Bucks.