A potential trade that would send Wizards Forward Kyle Kuzma to the Milwaukee Bucks for Bucks Forward Khris Middleton is close. According to @TheDunkCentral On X, The Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Wizards have discussed a Khris Middleton-for-Kyle Kuzma trade, per @JoshuaBRobbins
& @davidaldridgedc
“Two league sources said the Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks have explored a potential deal in which Milwaukee would send Khris Middleton and draft capital to Washington for Kuzma.”
How will this potential deal benefit the Wizards? To answer that you will have to look at three factors.
#1 - Salary
Khris Middleton will earn $31.0M this season and has a player option for $33.2M next season. Even if he enacts his player option, which he definitely will at age 33, the contract would be off the books before the Wizards look to extend Bilal Coulibaly before the 2027-2028 season. The contract won’t handcuff the Wizards cap situation long-term.
#2 - Fit
The Wizards would not be acquiring prime Khris Middleton. He’s starting to decline and has been coming off of the bench in Milwaukee. Would he start in DC? Due to salary probably, Jordan Poole would be the clear number one option, but who emerges as the next guy up? I am looking at Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr to be the next scoring options. Middleton is only averaging 12 PPG but he can still hit the three-point shot and is still a good defender and, he doesn’t have to be the “guy” to be effective. You could start him at SF, slide Bilal to SG, and let Kyshawn George and Justin Champagnie hold down PF till the offseason. No, Geroge and Champagnie wouldn’t be long-term answers at the position but there is no clear-cut replacement there with Bagley injured and also being shopped by the team.
#3 - Draft compensation
The Wizards are looking for draft picks and young prospects and they should be able to get either one from the Bucks. The Wizards should acquire the Bucks 2031 1st round pick or fully control the Bucks 2029 1st (Which will go to the Wizards or Blazers).
Will the Wizards be better after trading for Khris Middleton? In the short-term no but it sets the team up for success in the future and that’s what counts. Stay tuned.
