Middleton/Johnson to Wash for Kuzma/Baldwin

[braindazer]

Does this trade bring us under the second apron?

[MikeIsGood]

Does this trade bring us under the second apron?

Yes.

[LUKE23]

Lot of people on here gonna be pretty quiet when Kuz plays better than washed Midds, and we save money for roster flexibility.

Per 36 stats this year:

Middleton: 19.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 2.5 TO, 1.1 steals, splits .512/.407/.848, .219 USG
Kuzma: 19.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.0 TO, .8 steals, .420/.281/.602 splits, .268 USG

So yeah, I'm going to disagree with you.

[BUCKnation]

I hope Khris gets spun off to a likable team at least. Jrue getting turned around to the celtics was so annoying

[BroncoBuck]

You have to take Khris the player out of it. Nobody cared about him as a player. Just the 35 million on the books. The Wizards are just eating that 35 million next season. It’s dead weight.

[PG Graveyard]

I will ban myself if Kuzma isn’t better than Middleton is the rest of this year

I disagree with you, but even if you are correct, it does not move us to legit contender status.

I didn’t say that but I don’t think they are done either

[soxperry]

We can trade for Jimmy or KD and be left with:

Dame/Rollins
Andre/Green/Trent
Jimmy or KD/Prince
Kuzma
Giannis

Getting Jimmy over KD allows us to keep one of Livingston, Wright or Marjon (big whoop)

Would need to hit the buyout market for backup big.

I think either way though, Green or Trent has to start. You cant have Andre on the court with Giannis and Kuzma can you?

[MikeIsGood]

I’m coming around on the “if there’s a follow up that makes sense” and “Khris is completely washed physically”, this may not be the awful trade it appeared at first glance.

I'm already on board with the latter, and I guess I can be convinced if we come through big with the former.

I just can't believe this is what we had to do to get under the apron. I'm not a big AJJ fan, or particularly care about our pick-swap-swap, but the fact that we were the ones giving up assets to facilitate this is just mindboggling to me. We had no leverage, I guess.

My only thought is that the Wiz were keenly aware of that and know that they were ultimately facilitating us making a bigger trade.

[Brewhoopfan]

The only way this makes sense is if the Bucks medical staff didn't think Khris could make it through a 7 game series. I'm not sad to see AJJ go if it means the Bucks are able to another move.

[Bucksmaniac]

I don’t hate this. Getting under that apron was a must. Harsh reality of both the business of the nba and how shot Khris is.

Most of my friends texts are like “Khris helped us get a title” and “after everything he’s done.”

Therein lies the problem with him. People are still so emotionally attached to what he was and not realistic about what he is.

Agreed. What I also haven’t seen anyone mention is that Kuzma can play the 4, that’s huge, if we also keep Bobby we finally have four playable options at the 4/5. Less minutes for Giannis and by extension Brook.

[Packbuckman]

**** this trade!!!!!!!

[SickMother]

IS KYLE KUZMA COOKED?

[PG Graveyard]

Lot of people on here gonna be pretty quiet when Kuz plays better than washed Midds, and we save money for roster flexibility.

Per 36 stats this year:

Middleton: 19.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 2.5 TO, 1.1 steals, splits .512/.407/.848, .219 USG
Kuzma: 19.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.0 TO, .8 steals, .420/.281/.602 splits, .268 USG

So yeah, I'm going to disagree with you.

Mids can’t play 36 minutes so that is useless

[JayMKE]

I think Horst valued Kuzma for a long time

Because he’s dumb

[M-C-G]

Think about the Bucks defensive efforts on most nights, not sure why you’d expect things to get better with low iq player & person like Kuzma

I haven’t watch a ton of Kuzma, but I don’t see a huge difference between him and Michael Beasley that played here under Kidd. I hope I am wrong and he can be more in a reduced role. Really hoping another deal is coming

[Wizardofwisc]

Khris' medicals must have also been a mess.

I want to say something really badly but I can't

I'm going to take this to mean he's physically cooked and the Bucks know it.

I really hope there is more to what just went down, because I am having a really hard time with this trade. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[M-C-G]

The only way this makes sense is if the Bucks medical staff didn't think Khris could make it through a 7 game series. I'm not sad to see AJJ go if it means the Bucks are able to another move.

I’d guess the 35M opt in was the concern.

[El Pooch Grande]

Lot of people on here gonna be pretty quiet when Kuz plays better than washed Midds, and we save money for roster flexibility.

Per 36 stats this year:

Middleton: 19.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 2.5 TO, 1.1 steals, splits .512/.407/.848, .219 USG
Kuzma: 19.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.0 TO, .8 steals, .420/.281/.602 splits, .268 USG

So yeah, I'm going to disagree with you.

Problem with this is Kuz can actually play 36 minutes, which Midds will never be able to do again in his basketball career outside of the YMCA.

[Ron Swanson]

Appreciate you guys clinging to the fantasy that we can still chase a KD or Jimmy level salary guy, but it's just not feasible without Khris' contract. And that's not even getting into the fact that we shed even more assets to do this. It's disgusting on a lot of levels.

[ReasonablySober]

I honestly don't care about losing Middleton. He was unreliable and completely washed on defense. I didn't think he had any trade value, which was obviously correct given what happened. There's also a universe where Kuz being on a winning (sort of) team with a new role makes him valuable. Of course we also needed to get under the apron.

Losing your young first round pick, though? A kid with extraordinary tools and enormous upside? That's the hard pill to swallow.