Wizards' Khris Middleton Gets Another Laugh at Former Team

The Washington Wizards did a little bit of business with another eastern squad last year, conducting one of the stranger trades of the 2024-25 season in a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The contenders, looking to consolidate their championship window, traded the increasingly-unavailable Khris Middleton, along with a prospect in AJ Johnson as well as a future first-round pick, for the Wizards' own disgruntled scorer in Kyle Kuzma.

Outside of that 2028 first-round swap, this deal's provided little to speak of on both sides. Even though Kuzma's downfall from an intriguing two-way wing into another Milwaukee appendage has been more public, Johnson remains far from meaningfully contributing to impact minutes while Middleton has little left to give on a night-to-night basis. He still has his starting spot waiting for him whenever he's available to play, but he's not the asset that some fans may have hoped for when the exchange was first announced.

Long-term consequences aside, the Wizards have colored their recent Bucks matchups with their own red, white and blue in repeatedly embarrassing the fallen championship-favorites in the clutch.

Washington Wizards Guard CJ McCollum and Forward Khris Middleton — Dec 31, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Washington Wizards guard CJ McCollum (3) is greeted by forward Khris Middleton (22) after scoring a basket during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Their 114-113 New Year's Eve win marked the second time that they've gotten the better of Giannis Antetokounmpo and co., a clear win for Middleton in what's been an odd season for the former All-Star.

Stacking the Small Victories

He hasn't been the same multi-level contributor of old, but the 14-year veteran is still capable of pressuring the occasional opponent.

Middleton's still good for the occasional electric shooting performance in limited minutes, which he demonstrated with his 15 points in the Wizards' initial defeat over the Bucks to start December. And when he doesn't have the shot going, he can still make plays to find scorers like he did with six assists in both matchups.

Milwaukee Bucks Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Washington Wizards Forward Khris Middleton — Dec 31, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives for to the basket against Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton (22) during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Wizards went 6-8 in December, a major improvement for what initially looked like one of the worst teams in league history. The jumps that several prospects have enjoyed can be directly attributed to the boon, but Middleton's knack for rising to meet his former home of a dozen seasons might have something to do with the Wizards' repeatedly stunning the underachievers.

Compare their promise to the Bucks, a roster filled with under-qualified role players expected to augment Antetokounmpo's hopes of meaningfully competing for a spot in the playoffs. They're all-in on pushing through the regular season, but they enter the new year only three spots ahead of the Wizards in the Eastern Conference's standings.

Even while Middleton lacks stability of his own, he's only continuing to laugh at his former employers.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!