The Washington Wizards may be indirectly to blame for the Milwaukee Bucks’ downfall. While they didn’t even come close to the Play-In, they had a hand in a move that eventually led to the Bucks losing in the first round of the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers. Did the Wizards get more bang for their buck?
The Wizards Officially Win the Kyle Kuzma Trade
The Deal
The Wizards and Bucks made a trade deadline deal that sent Kyle Kuzma to Milwaukee in exchange for Khris Middleton and AJ Johnson. This swap looked best for both teams at the time, but in retrospect, the Wizards won the deal by a landslide.
Kuzma’s Decline
Kuzma took the helm of the rebuilding Wizards headed into the 2021-22 season. He was never meant to be the future leader of the squad. That said, he improved steadily and was even a fringe All-Star candidate last year. However, the beginning of this season was a sign of backwards progress. He was shooting a career-low of 42.0% from the field and a horrid 28.1% from three. His scoring took a hit as a result, dropping from 22.2 points in 2023-24 to 15.2 before the trade. His assists and rebounds also dropped, which is interesting when looking at the roster. Jordan Poole had a resurgence, and with the other young pieces eventually finding rhythm, Kuzma’s numbers should’ve been better. This was undoubtedly one of the worst seasons in the 29-year-old’s career.
Middleton and Johnson
Middleton is in the twilight of his career. Injuries have sidelined him significantly since the Bucks won the title in 2021, and he played just 23 games this year before the trade. While anyone would like to see that number rise, his effectiveness in the games he played was remarkable. He converted shots at one of 51.2%, the highest mark of his career and his first time shooting over 50%.
Johnson never really saw the court in his half-season with the Bucks. Playing 6.3 minutes across seven games, he averaged 2.9 points and never got to showcase his potential for the team.
Kuzma and Middleton had their struggles to begin the year, although they were vastly different. One was injury-prone on a big player-option, and the other had a limited role. After a few months, the front offices made their pitches, and the players were swapped into completely different roles.
The Aftermath
These two teams were and still are in vastly different competitive stages in the league. The Bucks are a lock in the postseason, while the Wizards are building to fight for a playoff spot. Here’s how the trade played out for the franchises.
The Bucks
Milwaukee wanted Kuzma to fill in the third-option role on offense. However, he couldn’t do that in the regular season or playoffs. The regular season saw his shooting splits increase to 45.5% from the field and 33.3% from three, but on 2.3 fewer shots per game. His rebounding and assist totals slightly fell as well. Kuzma has shown effectiveness when he’s the first option. However, the forward had some of his lowest years as a third option behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and it happened again this season.
The playoffs were even worse for him. Kuzma has never been a great postseason performer, but this was rough. In Game 1, Kuzma played 22 minutes and didn’t post a single stat aside from two personal fouls. That was just the tip of the iceberg; he finished the series averaging 5.8 points, shooting 34.3% from the field and 20% from three in 20.4 minutes. He also had the team’s lowest plus/minus rating (-8.6). Time will tell if Kuzma can become a good fit for the Bucks. As of right now, Washington is loving their situation away from him.
The Wizards
Middleton and Johnson came to Washington fresh and helped push the team to its best month of the season. They made solid contributions and were two big pieces as the season wound down.
Johnson got the minutes he needed to show his skills. Not only was he a solid rotational piece, averaging 27 minutes, but Johnson may have earned a bigger role for the future. While his shooting could use a little work, with marks of 38.1% from the field and 24.7% from three with the Wizards, he showed that he can hit the bucket consistently. In 22 games for Washington, he reached double-digit points eight times, something he only did once with Milwaukee.
Middleton wasn’t added to be a significant contributor on offense. Instead, his veteran leadership makes him one of the most important pieces on the roster. His championship mentality, mixed skillset, and 13 years of experience make him one of the best veterans to have guiding one of the younger rosters in the league. Even with his injury history, he’s still able to contribute. He averaged 10.7 points across 14 games with the Wizards. While he’s not the Middleton of the past, he can help the young core progress.
The Last Word
In retrospect, the Wizards won the trade, at least for now. Trading the struggling Kuzma in exchange for a little-used rookie and an injury-prone vet looked like a lose-lose for both franchises. However, Washington is far better off than Milwaukee. With both teams done with the 2024-25 season, it’ll be interesting to see how they continue to build and which will come out ahead.
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