Shams: Kuz and Baldwin to Bucks for Middleton, Johnson, '28 Pick Swap

[AFM]

As someone who wore slouch socks, new balances, glittery hats, Madness, HOBO and Solbiato, I can honestly say yea, DC had some terrible styles now that I look back on it. And I still wear the local brands just to support them, although I can't say I would wear the stuff if I wasn't from the area.

New balances and khakis and a polar fleece was what was "in" when I was in HS. I'm talking 2006 though.

[DCZards]

So, first things first …

1. Don’t assume things about people. You get yourself in trouble. Like now.
2. Not a “new folk”
3. Kuz didn’t dress like a “bama” — the opposite, in fact
4. The long-time residents of this city are style-less and so are the newcomers. It’s a dowdy, bland City compared to NYC, SF, LA, Miami, Austin, Chicago, even Atlanta.
5. The city before gentrification had little style either lol.

I'm with TheBlackCzar. Your view of DCs style has to do with who you're personally rolling with in DC's social world...which has some very different levels.

I appreciate your coyness/tact, even as I take issue with the insinuation. I’m in those worlds, believe me. And have been. And still stand by what I said. You’re focusing only on how people dress/express themselves. I’m also looking at the city and how it expresses ITself. Not the official city, which is pretty in places but also bland and uninspiring, but the city city, DC, which if you look at its architecture and its neighborhoods (all of them), if you take in its energy and feel, if you look at its public art or lacktherof, if you spend time in its plazas and shopping districts, is differently but equally unalive.

I live in DC near what has been deemed one of the most demographically diverse places in America—Silver Spring, MD, which is alive with gyms, restaurants, theaters, clubs and other nightlife—and a major transit center. So I’m good.

[Kanyewest]

I don't think it is a coincidence that we drop 40 assists right after Kuzma was traded.

They dropped 26 assists against the Timberwolves and 29 against the Hornets. Definitely passing better.

[doclinkin]

I'm with TheBlackCzar. Your view of DCs style has to do with who you're personally rolling with in DC's social world...which has some very different levels.

I appreciate your coyness/tact, even as I take issue with the insinuation. I’m in those worlds, believe me. And have been. And still stand by what I said. You’re focusing only on how people dress/express themselves. I’m also looking at the city and how it expresses ITself. Not the official city, which is pretty in places but also bland and uninspiring, but the city city, DC, which if you look at its architecture and its neighborhoods (all of them), if you take in its energy and feel, if you look at its public art or lacktherof, if you spend time in its plazas and shopping districts, is differently but equally unalive.

I live in DC near what has been deemed one of the most demographically diverse places in America—Silver Spring, MD, which is alive with gyms, restaurants, theaters, clubs and other nightlife—and a major transit center. So I’m good.

Hey, you're my neighbor.

[spaceman_E]

just because yall didn't like watching him play doesn't make this a good trade.

another fake asset, check
160lb guard that shoots in the 20's from 3.. in the GLeague, check
salary dumped player for... worse salary, check

This isn't going to affect much long-term but another notch in the FO list of misevaluations

Where on earth is this 20s% coming from? I've seen it a few times in this thread. Are you reading Tip off tournament stats? In real life he's shooting 42.6% from 3 on 4.1 attempts per game in the G-League regular season.

His issue in the G-League, as it was in limited burn in Wollongong, is finishing around the rim.

I stand corrected. GLeague site defaults to that tourney stats. He's at 37% overall on the season which is far more promising

[dobrojim]

Except we know Baldwin is ass. Check the bucks board they are furious they gave up AJ.

When we first got him, he was the next Isaiah Todd.
Lately, in very limited garbage minutes I thought
he demonstrated occasional glimpses. That said,
I’m not unhappy about this trade. At all.

[gambitx777]

Except we know Baldwin is ass. Check the bucks board they are furious they gave up AJ.

When we first got him, he was the next Isaiah Todd.
Lately, in very limited garbage minutes I thought
he demonstrated occasional glimpses. That said,
I’m not unhappy about this trade. At all.

He's gonna be like every other non athletic shooting big, get hot for half a season somewhere, get 20 mill a year and be in tradable 2 years in .

Sent from my SM-S926U1 using RealGM mobile app

[-Jragon-]

From the Bucks board:

Congrats on nabbing AJJ... none of us wanted to attach him to a trade, but we also are notorious for overvaluing our youngsters (very few have panned out).

As for Midds, he isn't what you think. If you were worried about Kuz dogging it on D and kind of trotting around lost, you haven't seen anything yet. He's quiet and doesn't cause waves but he doesn't ever have his body right, never appears in shape, doesn't appear even in game ready condition until around April. This is just my opinion but I see him as a closet coach killer in that he doesn't do the little things such as cut, set a screen, spread the floor by getting to the corner or run unless he has the ball. He goes in the high post and calls for the ball and just does his own thing, one other guy on the team might have a clue what he's doing (for us it was Giannis).

If possible, just send him home and pay him to stay away from your young guys and just develop them. If not, don't waste minutes trying to play him; let him clap on the sidelines and give high 5s and tell the kids to stay out of the clubs or whatever.

[dorianwrite]

From the Bucks board:

Congrats on nabbing AJJ... none of us wanted to attach him to a trade, but we also are notorious for overvaluing our youngsters (very few have panned out).

As for Midds, he isn't what you think. If you were worried about Kuz dogging it on D and kind of trotting around lost, you haven't seen anything yet. He's quiet and doesn't cause waves but he doesn't ever have his body right, never appears in shape, doesn't appear even in game ready condition until around April. This is just my opinion but I see him as a closet coach killer in that he doesn't do the little things such as cut, set a screen, spread the floor but getting to the corner or run unless he has the ball. He goes in the high post and calls for the ball and just does his own thing, one other guy on the team might have a clue what he's doing (for us it was Giannis).

If possible, just send him home and pay him to stay away from your young guys and just develop them. If not, don't waste minutes trying to play him; let him clap on the sidelines and give high 5s and tell the kids to stay out of the clubs or whatever.

This post is both enlightening and very funny. Thank you for it!

[dckingsfan]

From the Bucks board:

Congrats on nabbing AJJ... none of us wanted to attach him to a trade, but we also are notorious for overvaluing our youngsters (very few have panned out).

As for Midds, he isn't what you think. If you were worried about Kuz dogging it on D and kind of trotting around lost, you haven't seen anything yet. He's quiet and doesn't cause waves but he doesn't ever have his body right, never appears in shape, doesn't appear even in game ready condition until around April. This is just my opinion but I see him as a closet coach killer in that he doesn't do the little things such as cut, set a screen, spread the floor but getting to the corner or run unless he has the ball. He goes in the high post and calls for the ball and just does his own thing, one other guy on the team might have a clue what he's doing (for us it was Giannis).

If possible, just send him home and pay him to stay away from your young guys and just develop them. If not, don't waste minutes trying to play him; let him clap on the sidelines and give high 5s and tell the kids to stay out of the clubs or whatever.

Hmmm. Kuz & Poole 2.0

Then again... this coaching staff isn't beyond moving him to the bench and continuing to play the youngsters. Maybe he will be our Butler. Joys.

One positive - we now have 4 players from the powerful '24 draft!

[J-Ves]

From the Bucks board:

Congrats on nabbing AJJ... none of us wanted to attach him to a trade, but we also are notorious for overvaluing our youngsters (very few have panned out).

As for Midds, he isn't what you think. If you were worried about Kuz dogging it on D and kind of trotting around lost, you haven't seen anything yet. He's quiet and doesn't cause waves but he doesn't ever have his body right, never appears in shape, doesn't appear even in game ready condition until around April. This is just my opinion but I see him as a closet coach killer in that he doesn't do the little things such as cut, set a screen, spread the floor but getting to the corner or run unless he has the ball. He goes in the high post and calls for the ball and just does his own thing, one other guy on the team might have a clue what he's doing (for us it was Giannis).

If possible, just send him home and pay him to stay away from your young guys and just develop them. If not, don't waste minutes trying to play him; let him clap on the sidelines and give high 5s and tell the kids to stay out of the clubs or whatever.

His new nickname is Mid btw because that’s all he’ll ever be

[pcbothwel]

From the Bucks board:

Congrats on nabbing AJJ... none of us wanted to attach him to a trade, but we also are notorious for overvaluing our youngsters (very few have panned out).

As for Midds, he isn't what you think. If you were worried about Kuz dogging it on D and kind of trotting around lost, you haven't seen anything yet. He's quiet and doesn't cause waves but he doesn't ever have his body right, never appears in shape, doesn't appear even in game ready condition until around April. This is just my opinion but I see him as a closet coach killer in that he doesn't do the little things such as cut, set a screen, spread the floor but getting to the corner or run unless he has the ball. He goes in the high post and calls for the ball and just does his own thing, one other guy on the team might have a clue what he's doing (for us it was Giannis).

If possible, just send him home and pay him to stay away from your young guys and just develop them. If not, don't waste minutes trying to play him; let him clap on the sidelines and give high 5s and tell the kids to stay out of the clubs or whatever.

Hmmm. Kuz & Poole 2.0

Then again... this coaching staff isn't beyond moving him to the bench and continuing to play the youngsters. Maybe he will be our Butler. Joys.

One positive - we now have 4 players from the powerful '24 draft!

I call BS. Sounds like a lot of feelings from people who feel let down that Middleton got hurt.
We’re talking about a (roughly) 50/40/85 with a 2.5:1 AST:TOV ratio over the last two years.
He’s closer to Desmond Bane than Kuz.

[-Jragon-]

From the Bucks board:

Congrats on nabbing AJJ... none of us wanted to attach him to a trade, but we also are notorious for overvaluing our youngsters (very few have panned out).

As for Midds, he isn't what you think. If you were worried about Kuz dogging it on D and kind of trotting around lost, you haven't seen anything yet. He's quiet and doesn't cause waves but he doesn't ever have his body right, never appears in shape, doesn't appear even in game ready condition until around April. This is just my opinion but I see him as a closet coach killer in that he doesn't do the little things such as cut, set a screen, spread the floor but getting to the corner or run unless he has the ball. He goes in the high post and calls for the ball and just does his own thing, one other guy on the team might have a clue what he's doing (for us it was Giannis).

If possible, just send him home and pay him to stay away from your young guys and just develop them. If not, don't waste minutes trying to play him; let him clap on the sidelines and give high 5s and tell the kids to stay out of the clubs or whatever.

Hmmm. Kuz & Poole 2.0

Then again... this coaching staff isn't beyond moving him to the bench and continuing to play the youngsters. Maybe he will be our Butler. Joys.

One positive - we now have 4 players from the powerful '24 draft!

I call BS. Sounds like a lot of feelings from people who feel let down that Middleton got hurt.
We’re talking about a (roughly) 50/40/85 with a 2.5:1 AST:TOV ratio over the last two years.
He’s closer to Desmond Bane than Kuz.

Most of us believe he's cooked physically. It's hard to tell if it's fully physical or mental at this point but to me it didn't look like he even bent his knees on defense since his horrific 2016 hamstring injury. He's looked predominantly hobbled with no speed, jumping or lateral movement since then while occasionally being able to "flip the switch" in certain playoff series. Several posters on our wall did get frustrated that he didn't seem to help carry the burden of regular season games leading to wearing down the other stars who would have to play too many minutes to keep our playoff seed while KM would sit out. Then once we got to the playoffs he would try to assert himself and his teammates didn't really know how to play with him when he's assertive and again he just goes 1 v 1 iso mode and isn't effective running plays nor does he really try to. In those situations, he'll score a lot of points with efficient #s but he's also usually a liability at the end of close games. He lost his starting spot here and flailed even as a bench dude so good luck.

If he does play for you, please do pop in our board on our Kuz trade thread later and lmk if you think he bends his knees and asserts himself when on D or when he doesn't have the ball. We did a poll and I think 1/4 of the board did not think he's cooked so I don't represent 100% of our guys. I admittedly have been a harsh critic, but I also focused in on him a lot on both ends. I was just watching a Kuz highlight video where he caught alley-oops and had chase down blocks --- Mid on his best day couldn't even physically do that but yeah he does have a nice jumper that makes some Bucks posters wet and forget that he does nothing on D.

[DCZards]

If he does play for you, please do pop in our board on our Kuz trade thread later and lmk if you think he bends his knees and asserts himself when on D or when he doesn't have the ball. We did a poll and I think 1/4 of the board did not think he's cooked so I don't represent 100% of our guys. I admittedly have been a harsh critic, but I also focused in on him a lot on both ends. I was just watching a Kuz highlight video where he caught alley-oops and had chase down blocks --- Mid on his best day couldn't even physically do that but yeah he does have a nice jumper that makes some Bucks posters wet and forget that he does nothing on D.

Kuz has great size and is extremely physically talented—thus the alley-oops and blocks. His problem is his bad shot selection and other poor decision making. Kuz masqueraded as a first or second option with the Zards because we really don’t have anyone to truly fill that role…which made Kuz even worse for our team.

He’s a good pickup up for the Bucks because it will allow him to be a third or fourth option most nights…a role I think he’s well-suited for. He might even be motivated to at least try to play D.

I expect Middleton, if healthy, to be better for our yougins’ because, based on what I’ve seen of him in the past, he’s a smarter, more disciplined player than Kuz.

[-Jragon-]

If he does play for you, please do pop in our board on our Kuz trade thread later and lmk if you think he bends his knees and asserts himself when on D or when he doesn't have the ball. We did a poll and I think 1/4 of the board did not think he's cooked so I don't represent 100% of our guys. I admittedly have been a harsh critic, but I also focused in on him a lot on both ends. I was just watching a Kuz highlight video where he caught alley-oops and had chase down blocks --- Mid on his best day couldn't even physically do that but yeah he does have a nice jumper that makes some Bucks posters wet and forget that he does nothing on D.

Kuz has great size and is extremely physically talented—thus the alley-oops and blocks. His problem is his bad shot selection and other poor decision making. Kuz masqueraded as a first or second option with the Zards because we really don’t have anyone to truly fill that role…which made Kuz even worse for our team.

He’s a good pickup up for the Bucks because it will allow him to be a third or fourth option most nights…a role I think he’s well-suited for. He might even be motivated to at least try to play D.

I expect Middleton, if healthy, to be better for our yougins’ because, based on what I’ve seen of him in the past, he’s a smarter, more disciplined player than Kuz.

I always thought MId would be a fantastic tank commander. If you want to see some pretty jumpers whilst losing and getting a higher lottery position then he's perfect lol..

Honestly though, with Bud as our coach, he made sure we had great defenders around and behind him to help --- that was a successful recipe as Giannis is uber-athletic, Jrue Holiday was Him on D, PJ Tucker was here for a bit, Brook was top 3 in blocks and they kind of all crowded behind KM as we used a drop scheme D. Well, over time, the 3 point shooting of other teams got too good to conitinue imploring that so Bud got fired, Jrue traded, PJ left, and Brook aged so when KM was on the floor with aging Brook or slow Bobby Portis we looked like a Silver League team. In contrast, if you think your team is fast enough (I don't watch them) at the other positions to kind of cover up KM on D then you might have something kind of fun. He can get hot for stretches and shoots great from the line but he doesn't go in aggressively to get more FTA.. everything is give and take with KM... he giveth and then he taketh away. The more involved KM is on offense, he might also get a little more engaged in defense and hustle as well. Us adding Dame reduced his touches a lot which may have led to some of his checking out as well.

[smoothSeph]

Middleton may be hurt, and/or suck at this point in the career, but are we acting like he's an on/off court cancer or something? Keep him away from the young guys is a harsh statement to make about a player. And I've never gotten that vibe from Middleton.

[dckingsfan]

Middleton may be hurt, and/or suck at this point in the career, but are we acting like he's an on/off court cancer or something? Keep him away from the young guys is a harsh statement to make about a player. And I've never gotten that vibe from Middleton.

He did have the caveat that it was his opinion. So, there is that...

[DCZards]

I always thought MId would be a fantastic tank commander. If you want to see some pretty jumpers whilst losing and getting a higher lottery position then he's perfect lol.

Middleton averaged 24pts, 6rebs & 5assts during the 2021 playoffs when the Bucks won the championship. I’m sure those “pretty jumpers” looked good to you back then….assuming you were Bucks fan at the time.

[-Jragon-]

Middleton may be hurt, and/or suck at this point in the career, but are we acting like he's an on/off court cancer or something? Keep him away from the young guys is a harsh statement to make about a player. And I've never gotten that vibe from Middleton.

He did have the caveat that it was his opinion. So, there is that...

Correct, not all fans thought that. He's not your vet gym rat type though. More the off-season clean-up surgery, video games and pasta type.

[-Jragon-]

Middleton may be hurt, and/or suck at this point in the career, but are we acting like he's an on/off court cancer or something? Keep him away from the young guys is a harsh statement to make about a player. And I've never gotten that vibe from Middleton.

Just furthermore young guys won't benefit from seeing him.. playing lazy, out of shape and ignoring plays..

But... he's not out there getting in trouble partying, guns, etc so he's most likely a good citizen which would benefit the younger guys

That's the mixed bag .... he giveth and he taketh