The Washington Wizards started the NBA trade deadline with a bang sending forward Kyle Kuzma and Patrick Baldwin Jr. to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Khris Middleton and rookie AJ Johnson.
Not only was the package for Kuzma centered around future draft capital, but the fact that general manager Will Dawkins was able to land a raw prospect like Johnson and a savvy veteran like Middleton in return was about as good of a deal that Washington could have wished for considering the way Kuzma played most of this season.
Although the deal essentially headlines around the fact that the Wizards shipped out one of their longest tenured players, the most underrated move of the whole trade is the fact that Washington managed to secure a player like Middleton who has NBA Championship experience that he can immediately add to the culture for the team's young core.
Furthermore, Middleton's impact off the floor may be the most beneficial thing for the team in the long run.
Khris Middleton could be a major part of the Wizards rebuild in a short time
The move to land Middleton may not be looked at as a major win for the Wizards considering their in the beginning stage of a rebuilding process. However, the Texas A&M product has more to offer than what the eye can see.
At age 33, it's clear that Middleton isn't going to completely alter the future of the Wizards franchise. Between nagging injuries and a decline in play, the forward is more of a glue role player now. Averaging 12.6 points, 4.4 assists and 3.7 rebounds, the playmaker has clearly taken a step back in terms of production on the court.
However, even at his best, the reviews about Middleton's play was more so about his professionalism and how he attacks preparation to the game on not just game days, but off days as well.
Middleton is a true vet, willing to teach and show the youn guys the ropes at this point of his career. With his debut set to be after the All-Star break, it will be interesting to see if his impact on the team will immediately translate down the back stretch of the season.
There's no denying that the Wizards aren't playing for anything more than the No. 1 overall pick, but their future also relies on the present as the development of the team's young pieces alone could be a huge boost to the team climbing out of mediocrity.