Shams: MIL/WAS: Kuzma for Middleton

LightTheBeam · Post #81 » by **LightTheBeam** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 5:31 pm

Kuzma isn't my favorite, but he was good during the Lakers run. I think he falls back to that with giannis, Dame, lopez.

Now milwaukee can combine pconn and portis. Good move

Post #82 » by **zimpy27** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 5:34 pm

Yeah I think this is a terrible move for the Bucks. Kuzma can help with their rebounding but will detract from most other areas.

This only works well if Kuzma suddenly starts hitting jumpers

hcsilla · Post #83 » by **hcsilla** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 6:00 pm

Great trade for the Wizards.

Middletion still holds some value as a player and his contract will soon expire.

Johnson has spotential and the pick swap might be valuable if the Wizards can speed up their rebuilding.

tmorgan · Post #84 » by **tmorgan** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 8:10 pm

As I thought in Midds back to Detroit threads earlier in the trade season, this dude is totally cooked as a regular contributor.

There is at least a slight chance that Kuz can be browbeaten into a solid contributor, but he’s still likely a chucking bum. And that’s more than Middleton was worth, apparently.

Post #85 » by **Snakebites** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 9:08 pm

I think it's a fine move for the Wiz even if Middleton doesn't play.

That's what I think of Kuzma.

Devilanche · Post #86 » by **Devilanche** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 9:48 pm

Thanks for the replies that AJ haven’t shown much so still just another guy on the roster.

Guess worth it for Milwaukee to bank on the chance of kuzma getting back to lakers level rather than hoping Middleton will get consistent health.

All this and they duck down the second apron. What not to like.

tmorgan · Post #87 » by **tmorgan** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 10:41 pm

Devilanche wrote: What not to like.

Answer: Kuzma. That dude is a donkey.

Devilanche · Post #88 » by **Devilanche** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 11:02 pm

tmorgan wrote:
Devilanche wrote: What not to like.

Answer: Kuzma. That dude is a donkey.

They really didn’t give up much

nykballa2k4 · Post #89 » by **nykballa2k4** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 11:11 pm

daoneandonly wrote:
Scoot McGroot wrote:
daoneandonly wrote:Love it for the Wiz, get AJ Johnson and rid themselves of the empty stat arrogant Kuz.

But I thought Mil couldnt aggregate?

They're not aggregating here? For Milwaukee, they swap Middleton for Kuzma. This works because Kuzma makes less than Middleton. Then, they also swap Johnson for Baldwin, which also works because Baldwin makes less than Middleton. They didn't need to aggregate, or combine Middleton and Johnson to return a salary larger than either of them could return on their own.

You're too smart for me, Scoot. I thought aggregate was trading multiple players out

Technically, it could be something like Baldwin+Kuz for Middleton (not aggregating on Bucks side) now MIL is below the 2nd apron and can trade new 2M TPE for Baldwin
something like that.

machu46 · Post #90 » by **machu46** » Thu Feb 6, 2025 4:11 pm

It really hurts to see Middleton go. First jersey I purchased since Ray Allen back in the day; he'll always be one of my favorite Bucks ever. And if he stays with the Wizards for the rest of this season, I think he'll probably be my first Wizards jersey since I live here now.

We'll see with Kuzma. I've gotten to watch him in person this year to confirm with my own eyes that he's been absolutely god awful lol. Having said that, the Wizards entire basketball environment is a scourge on society. The system is garbage, they're not really trying to win basketball games, the crowd at the games are maybe the worst I've ever seen outside of preseason football games, etc. Obviously you'd like to see Kuzma play through all of that and still give it his all, and to be fair, he did for the first few years here, but he's obviously been checked out this season. Tough to blame him but still not a great look. On top of that, he simply is nowhere near good enough for the kind of offensive burden he was being asked to carry these last few years and he obviously will not be asked to carry the offense that much for Milwaukee.

Milwaukee is obviously gambling on him being reinvigorated playing for an actual basketball team. He's been a decent defensive player and rebounder in the past, generally played hard, and was a versatile scorer (albeit on middling efficiency, but still, the versatility does carry some value). Watching him at his best, when he was able to post up smaller players, blow by bigger players, make savvy cuts, and get out in transition for buckets...it's not that hard to see a world where he thrives with defenses paying a ton of attention to Giannis and Dame. It requires a leap of faith and a lot of hand-waving away what he's been up to the last few years though, and especially this season.

Post #91 » by **zimpy27** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 4:38 am

Was this the worst trade of the season?

Godaddycurse · Post #92 » by **Godaddycurse** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 4:40 am

zimpy27 wrote:Was this the worst trade of the season?

Still Luka

Post #93 » by **zimpy27** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 5:00 am

Godaddycurse wrote:
zimpy27 wrote:Was this the worst trade of the season?

Still Luka

Even after they got Flagg?

kobe_vs_jordan · Post #94 » by **kobe_vs_jordan** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 5:16 am

zimpy27 wrote:
Godaddycurse wrote:
zimpy27 wrote:Was this the worst trade of the season?

Still Luka

Even after they got Flagg?

They could potentially had Flagg with Luka with the injuries they had.

Apz · Post #95 » by **Apz** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 6:17 am

zimpy27 wrote:
Godaddycurse wrote:
zimpy27 wrote:Was this the worst trade of the season?

Still Luka

Even after they got Flagg?

Flagg got nothing to do with the trade. Well, in anyones mind but Nico that suggest it ws the plan. Which would really mean NBA cheated and gave mavs flagg if they traded luka to lakers

Post #96 » by **zimpy27** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 6:19 am

Apz wrote:
zimpy27 wrote:
Godaddycurse wrote:
Still Luka

Even after they got Flagg?

Flagg got nothing to do with the trade. Well, in anyones mind but Nico that suggest it ws the plan. Which would really mean NBA cheated and gave mavs flagg if they traded luka to lakers

Well they don't get Flagg without the trade as he came back to play the rest of the season soon after the trade.

Post #97 » by **Mavrelous** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 7:04 am

zimpy27 wrote:
Apz wrote:
zimpy27 wrote:
Even after they got Flagg?

Flagg got nothing to do with the trade. Well, in anyones mind but Nico that suggest it ws the plan. Which would really mean NBA cheated and gave mavs flagg if they traded luka to lakers

Well they don't get Flagg without the trade as he came back to play the rest of the season soon after the trade.

Did the Spurs trade Poeltl and Murray for Wemby? Is he part of the return?

Post #98 » by **Mavrelous** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 7:05 am

I'd still do the deal if I'm the Bucks BTW...
They had no path to meaningful capspace w/o it this year w/onthe trade and Middleton has been a non contributor...

Post #99 » by **zimpy27** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 8:29 am

Mavrelous wrote:
zimpy27 wrote:
Apz wrote:
Flagg got nothing to do with the trade. Well, in anyones mind but Nico that suggest it ws the plan. Which would really mean NBA cheated and gave mavs flagg if they traded luka to lakers

Well they don't get Flagg without the trade as he came back to play the rest of the season soon after the trade.

Did the Spurs trade Poeltl and Murray for Wemby? Is he part of the return?

I would say the Spurs trading Poeltl and Murray was successful because they got Wemby

Post #100 » by **Mavrelous** » Sat Jul 19, 2025 8:50 am

zimpy27 wrote:
Mavrelous wrote:
zimpy27 wrote:
Well they don't get Flagg without the trade as he came back to play the rest of the season soon after the trade.

Did the Spurs trade Poeltl and Murray for Wemby? Is he part of the return?

I would say the Spurs trading Poeltl and Murray was successful because they got Wemby

Yes, they were a lottery team either way and secured 25%, Mavs broke up a finals team, and lucked out with 1.8%, I wouldn't call the trade succesful.
Davis himself was cosidered a better prospect than Flagg, and he didn't lead any team to the Finals and bolted on his team to ride LeBron, no one should trade a player like Luka for an unreliable AD and Flagg, even in the scenario it was part of the trade.