Kuzma explains his fit alongside the young core as Milwaukee looks to climb back into the playoff picture.
The Milwaukee Bucks are heading into a stretch that could define their season, and Kyle Kuzma knows exactly what his team needs from him.
Speaking at shootaround before Tuesday night's game against the Miami Heat, the veteran forward kept things simple when asked about his role going forward.
He is not trying to be the main guy on offense. He just wants to be the guy who holds everything together.
"I mean my game fits in with anybody honestly. I just know how to play basketball," Kuzma said. "Obviously, we got Cam here and someone that can really fill it up in bunches along with Ryan and Scoot. So, just being able to be like a glue type of guy."
A Retooled Roster Still Finding Its Way
Milwaukee sits at 24-31 on the season and currently holds the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Bucks went 1-1 coming out of the All-Star break, starting with a convincing 139-118 win at New Orleans before falling flat in a 122-94 loss to the Toronto Raptors at home on Saturday.
The inconsistency has been the story all year for a team that has dealt with plenty of questions surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo's future and availability.
Milwaukee has been trying to add pieces around its star all season, but the road has been rocky.
Giannis has only suited up for 30 of the team's 55 games this season, and his absence has forced Milwaukee to lean on a new-look group.
The trade deadline brought Cam Thomas over from Brooklyn, and the young guard has already shown his ability to score in bunches.
Thomas is averaging 16.1 points per game on the season while settling in with his new teammates.
Kevin Porter Jr. has been one of the biggest surprises in the league this year.
Porter is putting up 17.7 points, 7.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game and has really taken over as the engine of the offense with Giannis sidelined.
What Kuzma Brings to the Table
That is where Kuzma fits into the mold.
The eighth-year forward is averaging 12.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 48.2 percent from the field this season.
Those are not flashy numbers by any means, but they represent what Kuzma is talking about when he calls himself a glue guy.
He does not need to be the one going off for 30 points on any given night because Milwaukee now has players who can do that.
With Thomas and Porter capable of creating their own offense and Ryan Rollins providing steady play as a young guard, Kuzma's role is about filling gaps.
He can knock down open shots when defenses collapse on the scorers, grab boards, move the ball and provide the kind of veteran presence that a team full of new faces needs.
The Road Ahead
The Bucks still have a long way to go if they want to climb back into serious playoff contention, but the pieces are starting to come together.
Milwaukee went 5-3 in its last eight games before the break, including a statement win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road.
The question now is whether this group can build on those stretches and find some real consistency down the line.
Kuzma does not seem worried about fitting in.
His willingness to take a backseat and do the dirty work is exactly what a team in transition needs, and if the Bucks are going to make any kind of run, it will be because guys like Kuzma bought into their roles without hesitation.
Tuesday's matchup with the Heat will be another test of just how far this retooled roster has come.