NBA: Bucks deal Khris Middleton to Wizards for Kyle Kuzma
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) reacts to a call during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
The Milwaukee Bucks are trading three-time All-Star forward Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.
The Bucks will receive forward Kyle Kuzma in exchange for Middleton, who won an NBA championship with Milwaukee in 2020-21 and a gold medal with the United States at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
READ: NBA: Khris Middleton slowly recovering from surgery on ankles
Milwaukee also sends rookie guard A.J. Johnson to Washington, with the Wizards sending forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. along with a future pick swap and second-round draft compensation to the Bucks.
Middleton, 33, is in his 12th season with Milwaukee. After recovering from offseason surgery on his ankles, he has played in just 23 games (seven starts) this season and averaged 12.6 points, 4.4 assists and 3.7 rebounds.
Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma, left, works around Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Including his 2012-13 rookie season with the Detroit Pistons, Middleton has career averages of 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 762 games (657 starts). He played in the All-Star games in 2019, 2020 and 2022.
Middleton is on the books for $31.7 million this season and has a $34 million player option for next season.
Middleton moves from the Bucks (26-22), who entered Wednesday in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, to the last-place Wizards and their NBA-worst 8-41 record.
Kuzma, 29, is averaging 15.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 32 games (30 starts) this season. For his career, he has averaged 17.2 points, 6.4 boards and 2.7 assists with the Los Angeles Lakers (2017-21) and Wizards.
Kuzma is under contract through the 2026-27 season, having signed a four-year $90 million contract with the Wizards in July 2023.
Johnson, 20, was the 23rd pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He has contributed 2.9 points and 6.3 minutes in seven games off the Bucks’ bench.
Baldwin, 22, was the 28th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He has appeared in 22 games off the Washington bench this season, averaging 2.1 points and 4.6 minutes.
