The Milwaukee Bucks have acquired Kyle Kuzma from the Washington Wizards after trading veteran Khris Middleton on Wednesday morning.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Milwaukee traded Middleton, AJ Johnson, and a pick swap to the Wizards for Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr., and second-round draft compensation.
Middleton was a key part of the Bucks’ NBA championship run in 2021. Meanwhile, Kuzma won his first and only тιтle with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
After getting drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft, Middleton was moved to Milwaukee in 2013 and has been with the Bucks since.
The Texas A&M product became an integral role player for Milwaukee as they rose to contention behind franchise star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Middleton hit career-highs in scoring from 2020 to 2022, as the Bucks saw some of their deepest playoff runs since losing to the 76ers in the 2001 Eastern Conference Championship.
Middleton heads to the nation’s capital averaging 12.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.4 ᴀssist while dealing with minor ankle injuries.
The Milwaukee Bucks traded Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma
Both teams gave away role players and draft ᴀssets to complete the trade on Tuesday morning
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On the other hand, Kuzma is clocking in 15.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.5 ᴀssists on average for the Wizards. With the move to Cream City, Kuzma joins forces with Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard as they sit fifth (26-22) in the East midway through the season.
Kuzma was drafted by the Lakers in 2017 and stayed in Los Angeles for four seasons. After winning the тιтle with the purple and gold in 2020, the Lakers packaged Kuzma with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft to acquire Russell Westbrook from Washington.
He leaves DC while the spelled Wizards sit at the bottom of the conference with an 8-41 record.
The swap follows what has been a shocking week of trades, headlined by the Lakers trading Anthony Davis to Dallas to acquire 25-year-old Mavericks poster boy Luka Doncic.
On February 2, the Kings, Spurs, and Bulls dealt a three-way swap that saw De’Aaron Fox move to San Antonio, Zach LaVine to Sacramento, and Zach Collins to Chicago.
Other notable moves further from the ᴅᴇᴀᴅline include D’Angelo Russell’s move back to Brooklyn from the Lakers and the Warriors acquiring Dennis Schroeder from the Nets.
Teams can make transactions until the 3pm ET ᴅᴇᴀᴅline on Thursday, February 6.
