Assessment of Khris Middleton-Kyle Kuzma-Handel: What does this do for Bucks and Wizards?

Milwaukee Bucks just made a trade that in many ways will be franchise-changed.

Khris Middleton, who helped Bucks win the NBA championship in 2021 and was a cornerstone that had been around for as long as Giannis Antetokounmpo, is now a Washington Wizard who already feels weird to write out.

Here’s the full deal:

• Wizards Receive: Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson and a 2028 first round pick swap

• Bucks Recipient: Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and a choice in the second round in 2025

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Milwaukee Bucks: C.

It is a strange deal on many levels for both teams. Bucks had seen first -hand that Middleton was a shell of his former even because of countless injuries. On the surface there is a level of logic in turning him, even for a player who spent the previous two seasons on average 21.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4 assists per day. Match.

However, Bucks loses key components of Middleton. While his game is no longer built for 35 minutes at night, the 33-year-old wing is still an effective shooting game (40.7% from deep), a stable playmaker and a soothing presence on the floor.

Yes, his defense is sliding because of the damage and it is definitely a worrying area, but it’s not like Bucks got a player back that stands out on that end of the floor.

Middleton’s attentive approach to basketball should not be taken for granted. Bucks can still trust him to make decisions, be flawless and act as the adult in the room on and off the field.

Bucks came under the second apron with this agreement and can now gather contracts in trades. But they have only $ 1.3 million of the Wiggle Room and very few assets to play with. Getting flexibility is good, but let’s wait to see if they can use it before we talk that angle too much.

Given that Kuzma, 29, undergoes one of the roughest seasons in his career (15.2 points, 48.8 ts%), there is a risk involved here. The deal seems on the surface to be one where Bucks acquired a player who was able to get his minutes expanded, but this is where you have to wonder what is best: 23 minutes of ironclad stability, or 30-plus minutes with gun screen and a serious lack of predictability?

Bucks swung big here in the hope that replacement of stability with volatility will pay off. It is usually not the best of efforts.

As it says, it is difficult to give them more than one C, unless Kuzma suddenly returns to form and in the process gets a shock in efficiency.

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Washington Wizards: C+

For Washington, the deal doesn’t make a lot of obvious sense either.

Sure, the team gets a pick swap and a chance to see what AJ Johnson can do, but Middleton doesn’t fit their timeline, nor is he expected to be a free agent this summer as he has a player setting worth $ 34 million that he is likely to pick up.

So let’s see if we can’t find a certain sense of logic here.

One element that could be exciting is to tie Middleton to the hip of the second year’s forward-looking Bilal Coulibaly and ask him to mentor the 20-year-old. The two are not very different in size and skill kits that give its hand to Middleton, which is capable of sharing wisdom of wisdom with the young Frenchman.

If Middleton helps unlock Coulibaly further, it is easily worth the $ 34 million investment for next season, almost no matter what Middleton itself produces.

That said, it seems to be a strange thing that was what the wizards could get for Kuzma.

Bad season aside, big wings in today’s NBA that can do a little of everything, especially with the ball in their hands, tend to have more value, especially if they are not limited physically and are under 30 years of age, both of which Kuzma clears.

You would think the guides were looking to get younger or maybe lean into a package consisting of more draft equity. Kuzma, who has been rumored as a commercial candidate for the past two years, was often brought up as a player for whom teams were willing to fork over considerable value.

That said, if such a package never really existed, which would explain why the wizards did not pull the trigger on a trade before, then that is the reality of the situation.

A character of C+ feels right for the wizards, considering that they acquired a highly respected veteran who was to create a more trouble -free inclusion on the team, as well as act as a mentor for the organization’s young players.

Unlike Bucks, the wizards are not in speed and this deal makes it easier to digest for Washington.