New York (AFP) – The Milwaukee Bucks traded All-Star forward Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma on Wednesday, according to multiple reports, as tensions grew ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. The deal also sends forward Patrick Baldwin and a second-round 2025 NBA Draft pick, while the Wizards also obtained guard A.J. Johnson and a first-round pick swap in 2028.
More moves league-wide are likely ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, with Phoenix benching Kevin Durant for Wednesday’s game at Oklahoma City due to a left ankle sprain. This has sparked speculation that Durant could be the subject of trade talks, with great interest that he might return to the Golden State Warriors, with whom he won NBA titles in 2017 and 2018.
The Bucks, currently 26-22 and on a three-game losing skid, made the swap with the NBA-worst Wizards (8-41) to land 29-year-old forward Kuzma, who has averaged 15.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists this season. Middleton, 33, helped the Bucks win the NBA crown in 2021 and had been a mainstay of the team since coming over in a 2013 trade after spending his rookie campaign in Detroit. He underwent off-season surgeries on both ankles and did not make his debut this season until December 6. For his career, Middleton has averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
The Wizards also made another deal, according to ESPN, sending Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas to the Sacramento Kings for two second-round draft picks and 20-year-old French guard Sidy Cissoko, who had been obtained from San Antonio on Monday in the deal that sent De’Aaron Fox from the Kings to the Spurs. The Kings will unite newcomers Valanciunas and Zach LaVine in an effort to fight for a playoff spot. They currently rank eighth in the Western Conference at 25-24, sharing the same record as Phoenix and Golden State.
Other reported deals on Wednesday included German power forward Daniel Theis being traded from New Orleans to Oklahoma City, and Boston Celtics reserve guard Jaden Springer moving to the Houston Rockets.
© 2024 AFP
