Shams: MIL/WAS: Kuzma for Middleton

[Mavrelous]

2nd Apron was unsustainable, and the unathletic old roster also was unsustainable, they had to do this.
Next year, they have expiring and room below 1st Apron to free up the full MLE/BAE and make some trades.
Yeah, healthy Midds is a much better player, but he hasn't been healthy.

[esvl]

Grades:

MIL - B-
WAS - A

[Bentley1225]

So are the Bucks using Lopez now and draft collateral to land a starting guard?.

[OutsidetheNBA]

I doubt anyone is trading for Middleton with his $34m player option next year, especially after the Bucks signaled they doubt his health by trading him.

Potential buyout candidate? Doubt Middleton wants to be in Washington so he might take a solid discount in the hopes of signing a buyout level deal and a larger two year deal this summer.

I imagine they'd rather keep him around for veteran leadership/trade filler at the very least, unless he took an unreasonable discount just to get to play somewhere else.

Agree that the Wiz should keep a couple vets around for leadership, but they have Brogdon who is an expiring.

Middleton would be great in Cleveland. They have have the TPE MLE and they're $4+m below the 1st apron so in theory they could offer Khris $4m, 20mpg, and a chance to win a ring. If it goes well, I could see him getting TPMLE or MLE money in the summer. If I'm him, I'd give up ~10-12m and bet on myself making it back. The Wizards should take that I think.

[psman2]

I think this trade is about right on value if not a little short for Washington. I know Bucks fans are going through a lot of emotions here, but the reality is that Midds was likely viewed as a dead contract for most teams willing to take him in trade and is a likely buyout guy now. AJ Johnson had all the hopes of a franchise starved for hope to become a great late 1st steal that turns into their next star, but the reality he is valued here as what he is, a late round project that likely has less value today than when drafted.

Now I am no fan of Kuz and think his value was around neutral (expiring/bad 2nds), but Midds could not fetch that imo. So the Bucks paid a late project 1st rounder for a mid 2nd, and gave up the 2nd swap rights in 28 that has a good chance of not conveying or be of little overall value if it does. As a result the Bucks likely get a better overall player than the likely path this version of Midds was one all while clearing a good chuck of tax/apron money and opening up other trade possibilities.

Washington: B (If Midds give back a good chuck of money in a buyout or flipped for any value then this could jump to an A)
Milwaukee: B

[meekrab]

Doc Rivers facial reactions to Kyle Kuzma's basketball adventures are going to be legendary.

[JRoy]

Really don’t like Kuzma but I guess he’s healthier than KM.

[OutsidetheNBA]

So are the Bucks using Lopez now and draft collateral to land a starting guard?.

I think Kuzma is partially a Portis replacement. Portis + Connaughton + '31 1st could land a decent player. Copying my own idea from another thread:

Bucks Out: Connaughton, Portis, Beauchamp '31 1st
Bucks In: Cam Johnson

Nets Out: Cam Johnson, Keon Johnson
Nets In: Dieng, Connaughton, Beauchamp, '31 Bucks 1st, '26 Thunder 1st (LP, then '26 2nd)

Thunder Out: Dieng, '26 1st (LP, then '26 2nd)
Thunder In: Portis

[TheNetsFan]

So are the Bucks using Lopez now and draft collateral to land a starting guard?.

I think Kuzma is partially a Portis replacement. Portis + Connaughton + '31 1st could land a decent player. Copying my own idea from another thread:

Bucks Out: Connaughton, Portis, Beauchamp '31 1st
Bucks In: Cam Johnson

Nets Out: Cam Johnson, Keon Johnson
Nets In: Dieng, Connaughton, Beauchamp, '31 Bucks 1st, '26 Thunder 1st (LP, then '26 2nd)

Thunder Out: Dieng, '26 1st (LP, then '26 2nd)
Thunder In: Portis

I don't think Milwaukee has the apron room to pull a 3 for 1 off, especially when factoring in Cam Johnson's unlikely incentives count towards the apron #s.

[M-C-G]

So are the Bucks using Lopez now and draft collateral to land a starting guard?.

I think we like the bodies we have there between AJ Green, Ajax and Trent.

I think the goal is to get an upgrade at SF (unless that is the plan for Kuzma) and/or convert Brook into a mobile 5

[psman2]

So are the Bucks using Lopez now and draft collateral to land a starting guard?.

I think Kuzma is partially a Portis replacement. Portis + Connaughton + '31 1st could land a decent player. Copying my own idea from another thread:

Bucks Out: Connaughton, Portis, Beauchamp '31 1st
Bucks In: Cam Johnson

Nets Out: Cam Johnson, Keon Johnson
Nets In: Dieng, Connaughton, Beauchamp, '31 Bucks 1st, '26 Thunder 1st (LP, then '26 2nd)

Thunder Out: Dieng, '26 1st (LP, then '26 2nd)
Thunder In: Portis

I don't have anyone giving up even a bad 1st for half a season of Portis. He is closer to a JAG than an impact player.

[kobe_vs_jordan]

Idk. Kuzma might a mental block. He shooting 60 percent on free throws. Regressed as a passer. His comments of him being focused on him a bit concerning also.

Not sure bucks getting the same semi locked in Kuzma that left the lakers.

[babyjax13]

Maybe Kuzma will surprise me, but this feels like the beginning of the end for the Giannis Bucks. I hope not, I hope Kuzma is somehow a player he has never been.

[OutsidetheNBA]

So are the Bucks using Lopez now and draft collateral to land a starting guard?.

I think Kuzma is partially a Portis replacement. Portis + Connaughton + '31 1st could land a decent player. Copying my own idea from another thread:

Bucks Out: Connaughton, Portis, Beauchamp '31 1st
Bucks In: Cam Johnson

Nets Out: Cam Johnson, Keon Johnson
Nets In: Dieng, Connaughton, Beauchamp, '31 Bucks 1st, '26 Thunder 1st (LP, then '26 2nd)

Thunder Out: Dieng, '26 1st (LP, then '26 2nd)
Thunder In: Portis

I don't have anyone giving up even a bad 1st for half a season of Portis. He is closer to a JAG than an impact player.

Thunder need another big. Portis can shoot, play passable defense, and has championship experience. They also get his bird rights and can probably resign him for a couple years at a little above MLE. For the price of a pick likely in the the late 20s, I think Portis is a fine value.

[The Consiglieri]

What's the swap here? They get to swap with the Bucks after the Blazers already have the option to swap? So they just get the 2nd best pick out of the 3 teams here?

Think of it it as:

A dart throw that at some point in the next few months to 3+ seasons, Milwaukee and Phoenix either engage in a sell off/rebuild from the roots, or naturally implode as Washington did '19-'23 through incompetent roster mismanagement, while this current washington gets lucky in the lottery and w/their selections the next 3 drafts and by '28, has gone from bottom of the barrell the next 3 drafts, to a playoff team in '27-'28.

It's definitely possible? Likely? All 3 would have to occur for it to be worthwhile, so no, but he's piling up pick swaps in '26, '28 and '30, so essentially if we get lottery luck AND select the right player in the judgement of history, we'll be able to dip back into the lottery 1 or 2 more times if Phoenix and/or Milwaukee implode as we kinda expect to see happen. They aren't the lakers with free retools every cycle of mismanagement through players moving their via FA, or the idiotic trade a decade stipend they seem to get from the league (Luca, Davis, Pau, Kobe, Magic, Jabbar, Wilt etc), Milwaukee in particular, and Phoenix probably, are going to skid off the freeway and into a flaming ditch at some point in the next few years, and we own multiple swaps from the both of them, if our build actually works, we will be using at least one, and maybe multiple swaps there.

For now, I think the Milwaukee swap only convey's if my squad hits grand slams with 2 or 3 of its 3 lottery selections in '25, '26 and '27 because that will be necessary for the swap of the 2nd best of those picks to have any value to us.

[Skybox]

Surprised the Bucks gave up AJ Johnson and the pick swap, but I like the Kuzma-Middleton exchange for them. Makes them cheaper and Kuzma is a good short-term and long-term fit next to Giannis.

Agree...I think Kuzma is a clown who is half as good as he thinks (even before he ragged on ORL ) but he'll do very well next to Giannis & Brook - in the same way Middleton has. Like a MPJ - flawed, but impactful with the right guys around him. MIL got better.

[Skybox]

So are the Bucks using Lopez now and draft collateral to land a starting guard?.

I don't think MIL should move Brook as he "completes" Giannis, like few others could (as long as he's healthy). But, if they wanted to...

ORL sends: KCP (beautiful fit next to Dame)
MIL sends: Lopez (expiring, but great fit, in the same way, next to Paolo & Franz...loves Disney, Robin will be jealous)

ORL could then address obtaining some offensive firepower in their backcourt, perhaps Simons or Sexton. Even if Brook walks or retires, ORL's signing of KCP was a mistake - not because he's not really good, but it's clear that tripling down on defense isn't a plan. ORL could try to keep Brook or just go into summer with more options and/or room to fit rookie extensions incoming.

[jbk1234]

So are the Bucks using Lopez now and draft collateral to land a starting guard?.

They still need BroLo. Kuzma isn't a good defender.

[M-C-G]

So are the Bucks using Lopez now and draft collateral to land a starting guard?.

I don't think MIL should move Brook as he "completes" Giannis, like few others could (as long as he's healthy). But, if they wanted to...

ORL sends: KCP (beautiful fit next to Dame)
MIL sends: Lopez (expiring, but great fit, in the same way, next to Paolo & Franz...loves Disney, Robin will be jealous)

ORL could then address obtaining some offensive firepower in their backcourt, perhaps Simons or Sexton. Even if Brook walks or retires, ORL's signing of KCP was a mistake - not because he's not really good, but it's clear that tripling down on defense isn't a plan. ORL could try to keep Brook or just go into summer with more options and/or room to fit rookie extensions incoming.

I think we like our SG and Ajax and Green give us solid defense at the 2.

What about something for Isaac <> Lopez ?

[jayjaysee]

Middleton must really be as broken as some feel..

But I like Milwaukee getting under the second apron and not messing with the 2031 first. Interested in they make another move, think they should.