RealGM

Watching Middleton last night shows that he can still play. He's on an expiring contract and the Wizards will have over 100 million in cap space next year, so they can take on bad money if need be for picks.

My idea is WAS/SAS/CHI

Wiz trade Middleton (expiring) for Zach Collins (expiring)+Carter (expiring)+most favorable of (: (i)least favorable of OKC, Houston, LAC 2026 1st (which Wiz already own rights to), (ii) 2026 SAS 1st, (iii) (2026 ATL 1st)

Bulls trade: Zach Collins (expiring)+Carter (expiring) for Barnes (expiring)+Olynyk (expiring)

Spurs trade: Barnes (expiring)+Olynyk (expiring)+2026 swap rights with Atlanta for Middleton (expiring)+lesser swap rights amongst 2026 ATL, SAS, and OKC/HOU/LAC (via Wash)

Why for the Wiz? (they get the potential upside of a better 2026 1st vs the likely late 1st of OKC/Houston that they already own)
Why for the Spurs? (Massive upgrade over the Barnes spot with Middleton)
Why for the Bulls? (Massive upgrade over Collins with Barnes while getting a vet big in Olynyk). Bulls are only in this trade because Olynyk can't be traded back to the Wiz since he was traded from the Wiz earlier in the summer.

Not sure Spurs do it, although I love Middleton even though he can't be healthy for too long. That Hawks swap is really valuable consdering Hawks could lose Young for free this offseason and they have no depth at all. They have OO, Dyson, Jalen Johnson, Risacher and NAW as the only NBA players signed next year... with 50M in cap space, without their own pick this year too. If i'm the Spurs, I hang into that swap

doubtful middleton can fetch expiring and a 1st. neither spurs or bulls need to dump salary

I think the hawks swap is too good. Hawks team is so thin, they have NAW and OO as the only NBA level players off the bench, KP is an injury concern and Johnson coming back from injury might have some rust in him

I don’t think SAS does it if you let them dump Keldon instead of Barnes.

Bucks will welcome Khris back after he takes his buyout form Washington.

Godaddycurse wrote:doubtful middleton can fetch expiring and a 1st. neither spurs or bulls need to dump salary

My question is there a playoff hopeful with an expiring contract that's going to rot on the bench? I think Middleton is still good enough in limited minutes to help a team when it matters most. I think that might be worth a late 1st

Dat2U wrote:

Godaddycurse wrote:doubtful middleton can fetch expiring and a 1st. neither spurs or bulls need to dump salary

My question is there a playoff hopeful with an expiring contract that's going to rot on the bench? I think Middleton is still good enough in limited minutes to help a team when it matters most. I think that might be worth a late 1st

I do not think Midd should return a first. And I love his game..

But if Rozier’s contract isn’t voided… Simone/Terry salary based should make it pretty easy to stay under the tax for Miami.. Their pick is likely in the same range as Atlanta’s.

Edit- Though I don’t see a swap like that being on the table**. A few seconds, yeah. Unless Washington finds the right team looking to dump 2026-2027 money. Not sure who that is, but there’s probably some team.

slos wrote:Bucks will welcome Khris back after he takes his buyout form Washington.

This feels much more likely than the OP

Yeah no way the Spurs give up a decent swap (let alone two) for Middleton at this point. He's only played >50 games once in the last 3 seasons.

gswhoops wrote:Yeah no way the Spurs give up a decent swap (let alone two) for Middleton at this point. He's only played >50 games once in the last 3 seasons.

Well the trade was was in essence dropping down in the draft as the Spurs still end up with a 1st (albeit a late first). The Wiz currently own a 2026 first that is least favorable amongst the Clippers/Houston/OKC. That pick will be in the 25-30 range. The Spurs own swap rights with Atlanta for their 2026 1st. I'd say that pick is in the 15-20 range, so the trade would drop them 5-15 spots in the 1st. You're probably right that the Spurs don't want to gamble on the Hawks potentially imploding for the upgrade from (Barnes+Olynyk) to Middleton.

Dat2U wrote:

Godaddycurse wrote:doubtful middleton can fetch expiring and a 1st. neither spurs or bulls need to dump salary

My question is there a playoff hopeful with an expiring contract that's going to rot on the bench? I think Middleton is still good enough in limited minutes to help a team when it matters most. I think that might be worth a late 1st

I looked around the league, and the contenders have mostly traded away their 1sts. Lets look at every team:

WEST (in no particular order):
1). OKC (No filler salaries, but have the picks)
2). Houston (Middleton would make no sense here as they have too many wings)
3). Denver (No filler salaries)
4). Minny (no filler salaries)
5). Spurs (have the filler salaries, can trade picks)
6). Dallas (No filler salaries to add up to Kris (won't trade PJ or Gafford), Middleton would fit in, but only as a buyout)
7). GSW (No filler salaries)
8). Clippers (No filler salaries)
9). Lakers (Middleton would fit in, have the filler salaries, but no future picks to trade)
10). Memphis (have the filler salaries, but KCP fits a need and have young wings they want to give PT to)
11). Pelicans (No filler salaries)
12). Suns (no picks to trade, no filler salaries)
13). Kings (have the filler salaries, won't trade pick(s) for Middleton)
14). Portland (have the filler salaries, but no need for Middleton)
15). Utah (tanking, no need to trade for Middleton)

EAST (in no particular order)
1). Cleveland (no filler salaries, no picks to trade)
2). Knicks (no filler salaries, no picks to trade)
3). Raptors (no filler salaries, Middleton doesn't fit as they have a million wings on the team)
4). Hawks (no filler salaries)
5). Celtics (no filler salaries, won't add money)
6). Pistons (no filler salaries)
7). Pacers (no filler salaries, no need for Middleton as this is a gap year with Tyrese out)
8). 76ers (Wiz won't take back PG13 unless major draft capital is attached)
9). Hornets (have the filler salaries, but new FO won't trade picks to shed future years for the expiring. Bad fit trade wise)
10). Magic (don't have the filler salaries. Already traded away their future firsts in the Bane deal)
11). Bulls (have the filler salaries. Don't know why they would want Middleton though).
12). Bucks (no filler salaries and no picks to trade. Wiz won't take back Kuzma even if they did)
13). Heat (Rozier is radioactive, so no filer salaries)
14). Nets (tanking, no need to trade for Middleton)

I mean depending on how he plays maybe this could be something around Kuminga?

parsnips33 wrote:I mean depending on how he plays maybe this could be something around Kuminga?

Washington is the last team that would want Kuminga. They already have a ton of young 3/4 types that they want to give PT to (George, Bilal, Whitmore, Will Riley). Maybe a three-way would work, but I think GSW would want picks for any Kuminga trade (which the Wiz would not entertain). Unless the Wiz get positive draft capital in a Middleton trade, at the end of the day, I figure he gets bought out.

This has the Kings written all over it, but it's probably Carter (instead of a first) and one of Monk or DeRozan.

Texas Chuck wrote:

slos wrote:Bucks will welcome Khris back after he takes his buyout form Washington.

This feels much more likely than the OP

Really? Organization dumped him because they didn’t think he could help them win as much as Kuzma. Why would he go back?

Dat2U wrote:

Godaddycurse wrote:doubtful middleton can fetch expiring and a 1st. neither spurs or bulls need to dump salary

My question is there a playoff hopeful with an expiring contract that's going to rot on the bench? I think Middleton is still good enough in limited minutes to help a team when it matters most. I think that might be worth a late 1st

You can go onto spotrac.com, look for expiring, and identify potential fits.

The question is why would Washington dilute their return by requiring expiring when they could flip Middleton for Long-Term Salrary to increase his value?

At that salary point, there really aren’t good fits, at least to the extent that a team would trade real value. I think you have to set expectations at getting a second (or just a miscellaneous player swap, like Lonzo Ball for Isaac Okoro).

PistolPeteJR wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:

slos wrote:Bucks will welcome Khris back after he takes his buyout form Washington.

This feels much more likely than the OP

Really? Organization dumped him because they didn’t think he could help them win as much as Kuzma. Why would he go back?

It’s one thing having a 30 mil starting and most of the time injured Middleton. And another thing paying minimum money to Midds to upgrade Prince at the bench and use him as 6th.

Bucks organisation did the smart thing trading Middleton at that point (foolishly though for Kuzma) and Khris is smart enough to understand that. I’m pretty sure both Midds and Bucks will be more than happy for a reunion under new circumstances assuming he gets bought out by the Wizards.

mhd wrote:Spurs trade: Barnes (expiring)+Olynyk (expiring)+2026 swap rights with Atlanta for Middleton (expiring)+lesser swap rights amongst 2026 ATL, SAS, and OKC/HOU/LAC (via Wash)

I'm not sure Middleton is an improvement over Barnes + Olynyk let alone a massive one, and the notion that Spurs would move their pick to the end of the first round to swap them is hilarious (but par for the course for Spurs related proposals, I'll give you that).