Here’s a curious trade that we heard rumblings about recently: the rebuilding Washington Wizards and the contending Milwaukee Bucks are making a swap of shooters.
It’s obviously less simple than that, and we’ll get into it. But Khris Middleton is off to Washington, while Kyle Kuzma is now a Buck. To be honest, it’s kind of a weird deal all around, a bit of a head-scratcher on each side of it. But we’ll get into that.
So who won or lost this deal ahead of the 2025 NBA trade deadline? Let’s hand out some grades for each team involved in this one.
The trade details
Bucks get: Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and a second-round pick
Wizards get: Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson and a pick swap
Bucks grade
Hmm. Can’t say I completely get this one.
Middleton isn’t the All-Star player he once was, averaging just 12.6 ppg this season, although he’s hit over 40 percent from three this year. And health is obviously a concern.
But Kuzma has taken quite a dive this year. He’s hit a career-low 28.1 percent from three and 42 percent from the field. He’s down from 22.2 ppg to 15.2. Bleh. He’s got over $40 million left on his deal through 2027, while Middleton has a player option for 2025-26.
This is what all this tells me: the Bucks think they can get Kuzma to rebound in a bigger way when surrounded by more talent. Will it actually happen? TBD. And they’re willing to deal a former first-rounder in Johnson to see.
It’s a risk, and they sent away a former championship winner in the process. Meh.
GRADE: C
Wizards grade
At this point, you want to grab as many draft picks and possible young players to grow as you can, and the Wizards did just that. You have to wonder if Middleton exercises his player option, but that’s secondary.
The Wizards got out from under Kuzma’s contract, will get a pick swap and Johnson was a first-rounder in 2024. That’s … something? Also how much will that pick swap be worth someday?
Again: all kinds of weird all around. But the Wizards did better than the Bucks did.
GRADE: B-
Projected starting lineup for the Bucks after adding Kyle Kuzma and trading Khris Middleton
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