The Wizards have completed their first trade before the Trade Deadline by Sending Kyle Kuzma to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Khris Middleton. It isn’t just about Kuzma and Middleton though, below is the complete breakdown of the trade.
Per Brett Siegel:
Here are your full trade details for the Middleton-Kuzma swap:
Bucks get: F Kyle Kuzma, F Patrick Baldwin Jr., 2025 second-round pick (second-most favorable of WAS’ collection)
Wizards get: F Khris Middleton, G AJ Johnson, MIL 2028 1st round pick swap (POR gets most favorable, WAS gets second-most favorable, MIL gets third-most favorable)
Reaction to the Wizards haul-
This is a good trade for the Wizards overall. Khris Middleton makes $31M this season and has a player option for $33.2M next season so his contract won’t hold the Wizards cap down. AJ Johnson is a very intriguing prospect who is practically a 1st round pick and would count as the Wizard’s forth 1st round pick in last year’s draft. The pick swap is ok but it does give the Wizards more capabilities in the next two drafts. You can use it to move back into the 1st round or to acquire more young talent.
Now Khris Middleton is not guaranteed to put on a Wizard uniform. He could be included in another deal or could be bought out. If he stays though, he stays for two years. With him turning 33 next season, he’ll probably enact his player option but the big thing is, his contract doesn’t handcuff the Wizards and they were able to obtain draft capital.
Grade: B
