Shortly after the season tipped off, some wondered if the Milwaukee Bucks would feel compelled to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo after a slow start. Thankfully, the Bucks have put those talks in the rearview after turning their season around.
However, that doesn’t mean the Bucks aren’t still interested in making other roster changes ahead of the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline. They may even make a move involving an All-Star.
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Milwaukee Bucks ‘close’ to trading Khris Middleton
Suddenly, the Milwaukee Bucks have surged to a 26-22 record, which is good enough for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Yet, it sounds like they’re on the verge of making a significant move ahead of the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline.
According to Heavy’s NBA insider Steve Bulpett, the Bucks are “getting close” to trading Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kyle Kuzma.
Middleton, 33, is a three-time All-Star, but he’s been limited to just 23 games this season while seeing a reduced role. He’s averaging just 23.2 minutes per game, which is his lowest mark since his rookie season. He’s also down to just 12.6 points per game (PPG) but is still shooting an incredible 40.7% from 3-point range.
Kuzma, on the other hand, is just 29 and is averaging 15.2 PPG, yet he is also only shooting 28.2% from distance. Kuzma is, however also averaging 5.8 rebounds per game.
Part of this move could be financially motivated too, with Middleton having a $34 million player option for the 2025-26 season. Kuzma has two more seasons left on his contract, and has a decreasing salary, starting at $23 million this season, which reduces to $21 million and $19 million over the final two years of the deal.
The Wizards have nothing left to play for, aside from trying to improve their chances at landing Cooper Flagg, who’s widely projected to become the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
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