The day before the trade deadline, the Wizards traded F Kyle Kuzma and Patrick Baldwin for a package of Bucks F Khris Middleton and G AJ Johnson.

Kuzma, while talented, is the definition of inconsistent. He has the capability to put up 30 points and 11 rebounds one night, and then 9 points and 4 rebounds the very next. With a shooting split of 42/28/60, he has had a very up and down year, averaging a slashline of 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists a night. This young and, frankly, bad Wizards team valued him as a top player on this lackluster roster, and trading him away for Khris Middleton, another inconsistent piece in and of himself, and a young guard in AJ Johnson seemed like the right move as they look towards acquiring a top pick in the 2025 offseason draft lottery.

On the other hand, for the Bucks, this deal gives them a piece that they need to be contenders. Starting off the season before heating up just in time to win the NBA’s In-Season Tournament, the Bucks are contenders looking for the possibility of a playoff spot, and they believe that Kuzma could be the one to get them over the hump. While Khris Middleton was a spot-up, 3 and D, mid-30’s roleplayer, Kuzma is a younger, more versatile piece who has the potential to not only spot up, but be a second or third ball handler when All-NBA G Damian Lillard or Bucks Legendary F Giannis Antetokounmpo is either injured, or is having a rough night.

Overall, both teams received what they wanted from this deal. For the Wizards, it was a young piece in rookie G AJ Johnson who they can give solid playing time, gaining him experience since they don’t expect to come out victorious in many games. With Khris Middleton, on the other hand, you have a veteran presence who is coming towards the end of his career, who can mentor and teach younger players such as F Bilal Coulibaly, G Jordan Poole, and F/C Alexandre Sarr the in’s and out’s of the NBA. 

For the Bucks, you get a solid, versatile player who has amazing offensive capabilities and is a fine rebounder on the defensive end. I believe Kuzma will thrive in a role where he isn’t in the spotlight, akin to his role on the 2020 Lakers, where that team won a championship alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.