<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-khris-middleton-makes-33-3m-contract-decision');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards’ Khris Middleton makes $33.3M contract decision');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Khris-Middleton-makes-33.3M-contract-decision.jpg"><figcaption>Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr</figcaption></figure><h1>Wizards’ Khris Middleton makes $33.3M contract decision</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-23T12:40:40-07:00">June 23rd, 12:40pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-23T12:40:56-07:00">June 23rd, 12:40pm</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/chris.spiering.3" rel="facebook">Chris Spiering</a>Chris Spiering graduated from the University of San Diego with a Communication Studies Degree. He spent his final year as the Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris manages the betting team at ClutchPoints and contributes about the NFL, MLB, and NBA, but he follows most sports, including NCAA Basketball. Chris also covers San Diego State men's basketball for East Village Times.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-rumors-star-draft-prospect-washington-targeting-trade-up">Washington Wizards</a> forward Khris Middleton made a decision on Monday that was a no-brainer. The former champion with the Milwaukee Bucks signed a 3-year, $93 million deal with a player option with the Bucks in 2023 and will play out his final season of the contract after <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1937223535384293629" rel="noopener">picking up his option</a> with the Wizards. The former champion will earn $33.3 million this season for a team that lacks a clear identity.</p><p>Middleton is a veteran who has dealt with nagging injuries for part of his career. Taking the option and staying with the team was smart for his future. The Wizards have a different plan for the future, but they understood that taking on his contract was a part of the trade that sent <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-rumors-how-giannis-antetokounmpo-really-felt-about-khris-middleton-kyle-kuzma-trade">Kyle Kuzma to the Bucks for Middleton</a>. Unless the Wizards make a huge jump in their progression, staying with the Wizards does not make a lot of sense for his career. We could see him take his talents to a contender after next season, unless he is traded before that.</p><p>The 33-year-old still brings a lot to the table. He averaged 11.9 points per game on 47.5% shooting in somewhat of a lost season. Those were his lowest numbers since his rookie season with the Detroit Pistons. He has averaged at least 15 points per game since 2017.</p><p>The Wizards roster contains a few <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-rumors-marcus-smart-trade-market-details-surface">veterans like Marcus Smart</a> and Malcolm Brogdon, both of whom have had a lot of success in the NBA. Smart won a Defensive Player of the Year award with the Boston Celtics, and then a season later, Brogdon won Sixth Man of the Year with the Celtics. Now, both are in Washington, helping to try and turn things around. Jordan Poole and Alexandre Sarr are the future, and then the 2025 NBA Draft is on Wednesday, where the Wizards will have the 6th overall pick.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards’ Khris Middleton makes $33.3M contract decision

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/indiana-pacers/exclusive-aaron-nesmith-dad-reflects-khris-middleton-impact-son-path-indiana');   ga('set', 'title', 'Exclusive: Aaron Nesmith’s dad reveals Khris Middleton’s impact on son’s Pacers path');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Exclusive-Aaron-Nesmith-s-dad-reflects-on-Khris-Middleton-s-impact-son-s-NBA-Finals-path-1.jpg"><figcaption>David Richard-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Exclusive: Aaron Nesmith’s dad reveals Khris Middleton’s impact on son’s Pacers path</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-16T08:05:58-07:00">June 16th, 8:05am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-16T08:16:45-07:00">June 16th, 8:16am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>OKLAHOMA CITY — Before Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith reached the NBA, his dad, William Nesmith, would drop him off at a gym for early morning workouts with Washington Wizards guard Khris Middleton. Middleton, eight years Aaron’s senior, was entering his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks at the time. For William, those workouts would forever change their lives, planting a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/exclusive-celtics-aaron-nesmith-talks-rookie-year-dwyane-wade-nba-draft-and-more">seed that flowered into Nesmith’s promising NBA career</a>.</p><p>Nesmith attended high school at Porter-Gaud, located in Charleston, South Carolina. Middleton, a Porter-Gaud alum, took a teenage Nesmith under his wing.</p><p>“I have to tip my hat to Khris Middleton,” Aaron Nesmith’s dad, William, told ClutchPoints. “Khris Middleton came from the same high school as Aaron. So, he would be working out in the summertime. And he allowed Aaron to come in. So, when I took Aaron to the gym at six o’clock in the morning, he could see, when we got there, that Khris was already wet up in sweat. That kind of let him know the kind of effort it takes if you want to get to this level.</p><p>“So, those things, I’m forever very grateful because he knows what he has to do. He is a workaholic. He’ll go to the gym. He’d put up a thousand shots. Stuff like that. That boosts him.”</p><p>The offseason workouts became a routine as Nesmith grew through high school.</p><p>“It was becoming a regular thing as he got older. So, that helped him,” William added. “Khris would mentor him. Teach him little things. And I think it really helped him.”</p><p>One of William’s favorite games is a full-circle moment between his son and Middleton, facing off in Game 3 of last year’s first-round series between the Pacers and the Bucks. After Nesmith made a pair of free throws to extend the Pacers’ lead (111-108), Middleton drained a game-tying three over Nesmith, sending the game into overtime.</p><p>“It was like a dogfight out there. You would never think they’re good friends because they didn’t cut each other any slack on the floor,” William said. “To me, that was just awesome to see. Aaron had to guard him.”</p><p>The Pacers would go on to win 121-118 in overtime and eventually the series before reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, where an injury-riddled Pacers team lost 4-0 to the Boston Celtics, the team that traded Nesmith two years prior.</p><h2><b>Aaron Nesmith ‘blindsided’ by Celtics’ trade to Pacers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pacers-forward-Aaron-Nesmith-in-his-rookie-season.jpg"><figcaption>David Richard-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Aaron Nesmith’s 52.2% three-point shooting at Vanderbilt caught the Celtics’ eye in 2020. Despite suffering a season-ending foot injury in his sophomore campaign, the Celtics selected Nesmith with the 14th overall pick. Still, he struggled to find consistent playing time as All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s backup. Then, Aaron was traded to the Pacers in 2022.</p><p>“He was disappointed. He liked playing for Boston. He was actually out playing golf when he got the call,” Aaron Nesmith’s dad told ClutchPoints. “He didn’t know. So, he was blindsided by it and wasn’t so happy about that.”</p><p>From the work ethic veteran Khris Middleton instilled, Nesmith went from his first appearance in the NBA Finals straight to the gym to work on his offense.</p><h2><b>Rick Carlisle, Pacers’ new ‘humble kid’ in town</b></h2><p>Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle saw plenty of room for growth in his new third-year forward. With Nesmith coming off a trip to the NBA Finals with the Celtics, Carlisle was eager to see how Aaron would adapt to his new surroundings.</p><p>“He was a humble kid who had a two-year experience in Boston, where he played some, but not a whole lot,” Carlisle told ClutchPoints. “But he had competed every day with some of the highest-level players in the world.”</p><p>Carlisle recalled his first conversation with Nesmith.</p><p>“He called me and said, “Hey, can I come to summer league?” I said, ‘sure’ and he goes, “No, I wanna play on the summer league team.” And I said, ‘Are you in shape?’ He said, “Oh, I’m in shape. I’m ready.” I said, “Well, come on out.” And he came out, and he played two, three summer league games,” Carlisle added.</p><p>Nesmith’s humble approach as a third-year forward impressed his new head coach.</p><p>“He wanted to jump in, and it was important for him to be a part of something,” Carlisle told ClutchPoints. “I thought his effort to do that was exceptional, and from there, he went from a guy who was a player off the bench to eventually earning a starting position. Now, he’s become one of our really important guys on both sides of the ball. I’m proud of him. He’s the kind of guy that any team would want.”</p><p>While some question whether the Celtics gave up on Nesmith too soon, his father will always be appreciative of the first NBA franchise that took a chance on his son.</p><p>“I’m never ever going to be angry at Boston because Boston picked him up in the lottery with a broken foot,” William told ClutchPoints. “It didn’t seem like it was going to work out in Boston. So, I was happy when he came over here and he got a chance to play because I realized when you get to this level, you still need a little luck, and you need to be in the right place.</p><p>“You take a team like Boston, which was a high-quality team, and thought they gave away nothing, is the same person that helped another team [get] there that you declared, ‘Oh, they’re not that kid,'” he concluded.</p><h2><b>Aaron Nesmith emerges as Pacers’ starting forward</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pacers-forward-Aaron-Nesmith.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/indiana-pacers/pacers-news-aaron-nesmith-agrees-3-year-33-million-extension-with-indiana">Aaron Nesmith inked a three-year, $33 million extension</a> with the Pacers, which turned into a fruitful investment. After averaging 12.0 points, including shooting at a career-best 43.1% clip from deep during the regular season, Nesmith’s shooting spiked to 49.1% in the postseason, as he’s a big reason why the Pacers are in the NBA Finals, taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder.</p><p>Nesmith <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1925396089160835081" rel="noopener">netted a career-high 30 points</a>, including 20 in the final frame, and finished with eight threes in the Pacers’ 138-135 overtime thriller against the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, where the Pacers made a historic 14-point comeback in the final minutes of regulation before winning in overtime.</p><p>“My comment to him was, ‘Welcome back.’ I was spoiled from watching him play at Vanderbilt, [where this] was expected of him,” Aaron Nesmith’s dad, William, told ClutchPoints. “It’s not expected of him to be in that role anymore. So, for me, I have to adjust. But he’s still thriving. I want him to play like Game 1 all the time. Just look for it, but I’m really happy with where he’s at.</p><p>“I can’t say I know that he would perform, but over the years, he’s always been good and clutch. In the last minute, he didn’t go away,” William concluded.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">WHAT A NIGHT FOR AARON NESMITH ‼️</p><p>🎯 30 PTS (20 in 4Q)<br>🎯 8 3PM (6 in 4Q)<br>🎯 2 BLK</p><p>At his best when the lights were brightest 😤 <a href="https://t.co/cbX3q8Ned2">pic.twitter.com/cbX3q8Ned2</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1925396089160835081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>For Aaron Nesmith’s dad, watching his son compete in the NBA Finals, years removed from those early morning workouts with Khris Middleton, is surreal at times. However, it doesn’t deter him from giving his boy advice whenever he sees fit.</p><p>“I think I get on his nerves now because helping him train, coming up, I’m never satisfied,” William said with a laugh. “If everything isn’t perfect. It can be off a little bit, and I’ll tell him about it, whereas everybody else is just happy it went in. It’s just a thing, I guess, with me, never being satisfied because I know his full potential. And I’m still pushing. I’m still dad.”</p><p>Nesmith and the Pacers will look to grab a critical 3-2 lead in Game 5 on Monday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Exclusive: Aaron Nesmith’s dad reveals Khris Middleton’s impact on son’s Pacers path

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-rumors-how-giannis-antetokounmpo-really-felt-about-khris-middleton-kyle-kuzma-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Bucks rumors: How Giannis Antetokounmpo really felt about Khris Middleton-Kyle Kuzma trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Milwaukee-Bucks-forward-Giannis-Antetokounmpo-and-Washington-Wizards-forward-Khris-Middleton-hug.jpg"><figcaption>© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Bucks rumors: How Giannis Antetokounmpo really felt about Khris Middleton-Kyle Kuzma trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-25T10:22:23-07:00">April 25th, 10:22am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-25T10:22:23-07:00">April 25th, 10:22am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Milwaukee Bucks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-khris-middleton-wizards-kyle-kuzma-trade">Milwaukee Bucks made one of the more surprising moves ahead of the 2024-25 trade deadline</a> by <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-trade-grade-khris-middleton-kyle-kuzma-wizards-deal">sending longtime forward Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards</a> in exchange for Kyle Kuzma. While the trade raised eyebrows around the league, new reporting from NBA insider Brett Siegel has shed light on how Giannis Antetokounmpo truly felt about the decision.</p><p>According to Siegel’s report, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/giannis-antetokounmpo-trade-speculation-bucks-future-in-doubt-siegel-scoop">Antetokounmpo approved of the Middleton-Kuzma trade</a>, but sources suggest it was not a move he expected the team to actually make. The two-time MVP shared a close relationship with Middleton, whom many around the NBA described as “family” to Giannis. That personal connection played a significant role in his reaction.</p><p>Siegel reports that Antetokounmpo’s approval of the trade has been described internally as an acknowledgment of the “inevitable.” While Giannis ultimately sided with the front office and general manager Jon Horst on the direction of the team, league sources told ClutchPoints that if the final decision were left to him, the trade may not have gone through in its current form.</p><h2><b>Giannis Antetokounmpo backed Bucks’ front office on Khris Middleton trade, but playoff results will test the decision</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Giannis-Antetokounmpo-in-the-first-half-against-the-Indiana-Pacers-at-Gainbridge-Fieldhouse.jpg"><figcaption>© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Despite the emotional weight of parting ways with Middleton, there is no reported friction between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks’ leadership. The relationship between the franchise cornerstone and the front office remains strong, according to those familiar with the situation.</p><p>Siegel also noted that while Antetokounmpo is not given full control over roster decisions, Horst and the Bucks’ executive team routinely consult with him on significant organizational moves. A similar example came in 2023, when Antetokounmpo advocated for retaining then-head coach Mike Budenholzer. Despite his input, ownership ultimately chose to move in a new direction.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-giannis-antetokounmpo-warns-pacers-poking-him-despite-series-hole">Bucks now face pressure to deliver results in the postseason</a>, entering Game 3 of their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers down 0-2. Milwaukee was eliminated by Indiana in the first round of last year’s playoffs as well, making this matchup a critical test for the franchise’s current core.</p><p>Kuzma, who arrived in Milwaukee as part of the deadline deal, s<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-kyle-kuzma-clowned-fans-brutal-tony-snell-statline-game-1-pacers">truggled in Game 1 with no points or stats other than two fouls in 22 minutes</a>. He rebounded in Game 2, finishing with 12 points, three rebounds, and one assist while shooting 5-for-10 from the field. His ability to fill Middleton’s former role on both ends of the floor will remain a key storyline as the series continues.</p><p>While Middleton was a core piece of Milwaukee’s 2021 championship run, the Bucks made a calculated decision to move in a different direction. Antetokounmpo’s reaction — one of reluctant acceptance — offers a glimpse into the delicate balance between loyalty and the pursuit of sustained success in today’s NBA.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bucks rumors: How Giannis Antetokounmpo really felt about Khris Middleton-Kyle Kuzma trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-khris-middleton-hits-washington-with-bold-playoff-declaration');   ga('set', 'title', 'Khris Middleton hits Wizards with bold playoff declaration');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Khris-Middleton-hits-Washington-with-bold-playoff-declaration.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Khris Middleton hits Wizards with bold playoff declaration</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-28T13:23:58-07:00">March 28th, 1:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-28T13:23:58-07:00">March 28th, 1:23pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton has <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-intel-trae-young-dyson-daniels-caris-levert-khris-middleton-wizards-grizzlies-okc/" rel="noopener">expressed strong confidence</a> in the team’s potential, asserting that they are capable of making a playoff run next season. In a recent interview with HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Middleton emphasized the team’s competitiveness and the growth of its young core.​</p><p>“I think this team could definitely be a playoff team,” Middleton stated. “We had a stretch recently where we were competing against some of the playoff teams in some games, where we won some games and lost some others. I think if you give us a full offseason and give us a full season together, with the improvement of the young core, which is going to be huge, I think they can take a big step because of the way they work, how talented they are, and how smart they are.”​</p><p>Middleton, acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks at the trade deadline, holds a player option for the 2025-26 season worth $34 million. His remarks come amid a challenging season for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-jordan-poole-alex-sarr-shushing-doubters">Wizards, who currently hold a 16-57 record</a> following a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/indiana-pacers/pacers-news-indiana-makes-franchise-history-win-vs-wizards">162-109 loss to the Indiana Pacers</a> on Thursday night.​</p><p>Despite the team’s struggles, Middleton highlighted recent competitive performances, including victories over the Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons, as well as close contests against the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers.​</p><h2><b>Khris Middleton guides young Wizards core with eyes set on future playoff contention</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Khris-Middleton-32-looks-on-during-the-first-half-against-the-Portland-Trail-Blazers.jpg"><figcaption>© Soobum Im-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Beyond his on-court contributions, Middleton has embraced a mentorship role with Washington’s young talents, notably rookie forward Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and second-year wing Bilal Coulibaly, the No. 7 pick in 2023.​</p><p>“I talk to them about daily habits, competing, and going through the process,” Middleton explained. “I’m not really trying to tell them what to do, but helping them figure it out and giving them advice along the way. I try to encourage them.”​</p><p>He also praised their development, noting, “I’ve learned how skillful they are for their age. These are first and second-year players with confidence. They have all the intangibles, like how quickly they pick up on things. The results haven’t shown, but I think they play at a high level.”​</p><p>As the Washington Wizards focus on rebuilding, internal development remains a priority. Middleton’s presence offers a bridge between the team’s veteran leadership and its emerging talent.​</p><p>Looking ahead, Washington will conclude its current five-game homestand with a matchup against the Orlando Magic (35-39) before embarking on a two-game road trip to face the Indiana Pacers (43-30) and the Boston Celtics (54-19). While the Wizards are eliminated from playoff contention this season, Middleton’s optimism suggests a belief in the team’s upward trajectory.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Khris Middleton hits Wizards with bold playoff declaration

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-khris-middleton-painful-admission-about-milwaukee-losing-faith-in-him');   ga('set', 'title', 'Khris Middleton’s painful admission about Bucks losing faith in him');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Bucks-news-Khris-Middletons-painful-admission-about-Milwaukee-losing-faith-in-him.jpg"></figure><h1>Khris Middleton’s painful admission about Bucks losing faith in him</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-23T20:05:44-08:00">February 23rd, 8:05pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-24T15:45:14-08:00">February 24th, 3:45pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Milwaukee Bucks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>When the Milwaukee Bucks decided to trade Jrue Holiday away for Damian Lillard prior to the start of the 2023-24 season, it showed that the front office had little room for sentiment amid their ongoing quest to surround Giannis Antetokounmpo with the best possible roster.</p><p>And with the Bucks struggling a bit to start the 2024-25 season, it was only a matter of time before they decided to make some changes yet again — this time trading one of the most important players in the history of the franchise, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-khris-middletons-heartfelt-goodbye-to-milwaukee-after-kyle-kuzma-trade">Khris Middleton, to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kyle Kuzma</a>.</p><p>The past few seasons have been quite rough for Middleton on the injury front; this past offseason, he underwent surgeries on both ankles to help get his body right for the long haul.</p><p>But the Bucks felt like they were <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6152732/2025/02/22/khris-middleton-wizards-bucks-giannis/" rel="noopener">racing up against a ticking clock</a>, and they could wait no longer for Middleton to get his footing back — much to the disappointment of the 33-year-old forward who’s always given it his all for the franchise.</p><p>“They leaned on me in a lot of different ways. Giannis goes down? They counted on me to take them to the next round, things like that. Giannis is in and out, or we need a big shot, or we need whatever, they counted on me many times. And I guess they couldn’t count on me,” Middleton said in an interview with Eric Nehm of The Athletic.</p><p>“I’ve had many opportunities. I mean, that’s the way I’ve kind of looked at it. My time ran out. Simple as that.”</p><h2><b>An ode to Khris Middleton’s successful Bucks stint</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Wizards-forward-Khris-Middleton-32-drives.jpg"><figcaption>© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Khris Middleton is a Bucks legend through and through. Picked up in the Brandon Jennings-Brandon Knight swap back in 2013, the 6’8″ forward emerged as one of the most consistent shot-creators on the wing for nearly a decade, and the Bucks relied on him quite a lot to create offense.</p><p>And it worked. They won the championship in 2021, with Middleton nailing a tough midrange jumpshot to ice the game in Game 6 of that series.</p><p>To the Bucks’ credit, they did try to give Middleton as much time as they could to recuperate. And for a while, it looked like it was only going to be a matter of time before the veteran forward regained his form for good. His performances during the 2024 NBA playoffs certainly indicated as such.</p><p>Alas, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-gm-hardest-revelation-khris-middleton-kyle-kuzma-trade">Bucks felt like they had to do something</a> to make better sense of the team they had, and with the cap restrictions brought forth by the new CBA, trading Middleton away was the path of least resistance when it came to acquiring some reinforcements. Nonetheless, Middleton’s No. 22 should be hanging in the Fiserv Forum rafters once his career is over.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
12.4	3.7	4.4	0.2	0.8

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
12.4	3.7	4.4	0.2	0.8

Khris Middleton

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Khris Middleton hits Wizards with bold playoff declaration

Khris Middleton’s painful admission about Bucks losing faith in him

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