The Washington Wizards landed Khris Middleton ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline in February.
At first, the deal seemed to be a bit of a head scratcher considering Washington's current state of their rebuild and their apparent focus to get add young talent to the team's roster.
As more trade details were released, the trade seemed to make more sense considering the Wizards were able to net a young guard in AJ Johnson, who's raw talent alone makes him an intriguing developmental player for Washington.
Not to mention the team also managed to land a future first-round pick in return to move off disgruntled Kyle Kuzma's contract.
The main idea behind the Wiz being opened to take on Khris Middleton's hefty contract was the idea that the veteran forward could use the move to prove he has plenty left in the tank that would allow Washington to move him and his looming $34 million player option at some point this offseason.
However, that plan was quickly shot down after Middleton's struggle to stay on the court only ensured why the Milwaukee Bucks were so desperate to move on from the Texas A&M product who helped the team win an NBA Championship in 2021.
Middleton's inability to stay healthy, mixed with his struggles to string together consistent play in his small sample-size make it hard to believe that any team would make a move to take on his contract this offseason.
For that reason, the Wizards are likely going to be forced to accept the tough reality that they're going to be stuck with the forward for at least until the trade deadline next season and potentially beyond.
Which while it may be disappointing for fans who hoped that Washington could find a way to move off the veterans contract this offseason, it's not all bad news to have Middleton stick around.
As mentioned above, the 33-year-old is one of the most respected players in the league. Middleton put in the work to get where he's at and that includes stops in the G-League. He knows what it takes to win, how to be a professional and his championship experience could be good for the Wizards young players to learn under incase they ever get to that point in their careers.
It feels obvious that Middleton will be wearing the Wizards threads when the 2025-26 season tips off in October, but Washington could potentially use the vet as a trade chip next offseason in a sign-and-trade deal if nothing materializes between now and then.