2025-26 Season
KYLE KUZMA
2025-26 Season
KYLE KUZMA
Kuzma produces at an below average rate for a 26-minute workload.
About this model: Net Impact can't measure floor spacing, help defense rotations, or playmaking gravity — so wings and guards are slightly undervalued vs bigs. How Net Impact works
TEAM COMPARISON
of 17 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 227 Forwards with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
A volatile tug-of-war between passive observation and brilliant two-way execution defined Kyle Kuzma's start to the season. On 11/14 vs CHA, he delivered an absolute masterclass with 29 points and 10 rebounds, generating a massive +12.5 impact score through decisive shot-making and suffocating defense. Yet that same aggression often mutated into a detriment. During his 11/04 vs TOR outing, Kuzma dropped 18 points but posted a -6.0 impact because his empty-calorie production was heavily offset by momentum-killing mistakes. Conversely, he found ways to win on the margins even when his scoring volume dipped. On 10/22 vs WAS, he managed only 12 points but still engineered a stellar +8.5 impact by anchoring the frontcourt and contesting everything in his vicinity. This maddening inconsistency reveals a forward who can completely dictate a game, provided he stops settling for forced isolation jumpers against set defenses.
This twenty-game stretch was defined by maddening passivity and erratic decision-making that routinely sabotaged his team's offensive rhythm. Kyle Kuzma often found ways to hurt the lineup even when his traditional box score looked respectable. Look no further than the 12/21 vs MIN matchup, where he posted 12 points and 10 rebounds but generated a brutal -9.4 impact score because extreme passivity kept him from even looking at the rim. A similar story unfolded during the 12/06 vs DET contest. His 15 points were completely undone by a string of live-ball turnovers and empty possessions that dragged his impact down to an abysmal -8.8. He occasionally found a spark, like the 01/15 vs SAS game where his high-volume perimeter shooting stretched the defense to its breaking point for a +6.1 impact score. Ultimately, those fleeting moments of value were buried under a mountain of contested midrange jumpers and offensive disappearing acts.
A maddening pendulum of brilliant isolation scoring and baffling inefficiency defined this stretch for Kyle Kuzma. When fully engaged, he looked unstoppable. He peaked on 02/03 vs CHI, dropping 31 points and generating a massive +14.2 impact score by ruthlessly hunting mismatches in the mid-post. Yet, he routinely sabotaged his own value with poor decision-making. During the 02/11 vs ORL matchup, Kuzma scored a respectable 15 points but posted a dismal -9.5 impact because his perimeter inefficiency and forced shots late in the clock actively killed offensive momentum. He found other ways to hurt the team even when prioritizing playmaking, as seen in his 02/04 vs NOP performance. In that game, he handed the opposition easy transition points through forced passes and sloppy ball-handling, dragging his impact down to an ugly -8.5 despite dishing out 9 assists. He remains a tantalizing talent who simply refuses to eliminate the hidden costs from his game.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Boom-or-bust player. Kuzma's impact swings wildly relative to his average — some nights dominant, others invisible. Scoring varies by ~7 points per game.
Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 55% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.
Defensive difference-maker. Kuzma consistently forces tough shots and protects the rim — opponents shoot worse when he's guarding them.
Tends to go on runs. Longest hot streak: 3 games. Longest cold streak: 8 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Based on 68 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
67 games played