Wednesday morning started with a bang — as one multi-time All-Star suddenly found himself in a new situation.
Khris Middleton was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Washington Wizards in a move that’s raised more than a few eyebrows. Along with AJ Johnson and a pick swap, he is headed to the nation’s capital in exchange for Patrick Baldwin, a second-round draft choice, and Kyle Kuzma is headed to Milwaukee.
It’s somewhat of a shocking development for Middleton. A 3-time All-Star and core member of a title team, the 33-year-old now finds himself potentially as a buyout candidate. Injuries have truly taken a toll on his effectiveness. There’s a lack of explosiveness off the dribble, and Middleton — once a decent defender laterally — has struggled to stay in front of players. The South Carolina native is currently averaging 12.6 PPG. This is his lowest mark since his second season in the NBA (2013-14).
Kuzma is a less accomplished player comparatively speaking. Having said that, there’s still some value here as a possible upgrade alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
Kuzma, 29, is a more physically capable player compared to Middleton at this stage. He can adequately defend multiple positions on the floor. He’s a good cutter and has some iso skills that can be utilized in spurts.
While he’s not shooting well this year (42 percent from the field, 28.1 percent from three), one could make the argument that his play will tick up since Kuzma will now be playing for a competitive team rather than one that was tanking.
Additionally, Kuzma has Championship experience dating back to his days with the Los Angeles Lakers. While it’s sad to see Middleton go from a Milwaukee fanbase standpoint, the team may have upgraded with a younger player here.
