The Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Wizards have agreed to a trade that will send three-time All-Star forward Khris Middleton and rookie guard AJ Johnson to the Wizards in exchange for forwards Kyle Kuzma and Patrick Baldwin Jr., league sources said. The teams are also discussing including second-round draft picks in the deal, the sources said. Trading Middleton, one of the most storied players in Bucks history, is a massive move for the franchise, even if the 6-foot-7 Middleton has been limited this season. Middleton, 33, has played only 23 games this season and averaged 12.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 23.2 minutes per game as he continues to work his way back from offseason procedures on both ankles. But Middleton’s place in the Bucks’ history books is undeniable.
The Bucks have traded Khris Middleton to the Wizards in a deal that sends Kyle Kuzma to Milwaukee, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania. The Bucks also sent rookie guard AJ Johnson and a pick swap to Washington, which dealt forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. and second-round draft compensation to Milwaukee, sources told Charania. Middleton, 33, spent the past 11-plus seasons in Milwaukee and was a key member of the Bucks' championship team in 2021. He is averaging just 12.6 points per game this season -- his lowest average since 2013-14 -- as he continues his recovery from offseason surgery on both ankles.
The Bucks are moving on from an important part of their championship run in hope of improving their chances of contending for another title. Milwaukee is sending Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson and a pick swap to the Wizards for Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and a second-round pick, ESPN reported Wednesday, one day before the 2025 NBA trade deadline. This deal essentially boils down to a Middleton for Kuzma swap, with the Bucks moving on from the 13th-year wing who has battled injuries over the last few years. Middleton, who turns 34 this year, has been limited to just 23 games this year after undergoing surgeries on both of his ankles.
