<!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-giannis-drops-weird-admission-on-khris-middleton-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Giannis Antetokounmpo drops ‘weird’ admission on Khris Middleton-Bucks 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/2025/10/Giannis-Antetokounmpo-34-and-Washington-Wizards-forward-Khris-Middleton-22-former-teammates-talk.jpg"><figcaption>© Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Giannis Antetokounmpo drops ‘weird’ admission on Khris Middleton-Bucks trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-28T11:31:36-07:00">October 28th, 11:31am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-28T11:31:36-07:00">October 28th, 11:31am</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>Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo shared his reaction to the Khris Middleton trade during a recent appearance on The Thanalysis Show, hosted by his brother and teammate Thanasis Antetokounmpo. The former MVP <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1983228060145987969">called the experience “weird”</a> and explained how he found out about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-khris-middleton-wizards-kyle-kuzma-trade">Middleton being dealt to the Washington Wizards</a> last season in exchange for Kyle Kuzma.</p><p>Antetokounmpo said he wasn’t aware of the trade when it first happened, since he doesn’t use social media or track breaking NBA news alerts. He recalled learning about the deal during a team bus ride, when he noticed Middleton wasn’t in his usual seat behind him.</p><p>“For me it was very weird. You know, I’m not on social media – he knows too. Like, I don’t follow what’s going on. I don’t have Shams in my notifications like other players,” Antetokounmpo said.</p><p>“It was the team bus – we had the game in Charlotte I think, or I don’t know where it was… and Khris always sits behind me, right? These last couple of years he’s always behind me on the right side. So, I’m like, ‘Hey, hey, hold on Khris?’ They told me, ‘Hey man, he got traded.’ I said, ‘For real, for real? Damn.’”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“They told me, ‘Hey man, he got traded.’ I said, ‘For real, for real? Damn.’… The whole week was just weird… After that, we just had a conversation and that was it.”</p><p>Giannis Antetokounmpo on Khris Middleton getting traded 👀</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/ThanalysisShow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ThanalysisShow</a>)<a href="https://t.co/dxTyeS0bQm">pic.twitter.com/dxTyeS0bQm</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1983228060145987969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Giannis Antetokounmpo reflects on ‘weird’ moment Bucks traded Khris Middleton</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Milwaukee-Bucks-forward-Giannis-Antetokounmpo-34-and-Washington-Wizards-forward-Khris-Middleton-22-2.jpg"><figcaption>Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>He added that the rest of the week felt off as he played his first games without Middleton, someone who had been part of every game he’d experienced in his NBA career until that point.</p><p>“The whole week was just weird because like I never played an NBA game ever in my career without him. Then you know how the NBA is – it’s either you got to learn how to swim or you’re going to drown. So, got to figure out a way to keep on helping your team, you know, being great. After that, we just had a conversation and that was it.”</p><p>Antetokounmpo is off to a dominant start this season. Through three games, he’s averaging 36 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, and one block per game while shooting 68.3% from the field and 66.7% from three. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-giannis-antetokounmpo-drops-mic-bar-fight">Bucks hold a 2–1 record and will face the New York Knicks</a> (2–1) on Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC Peacock to begin a three-game homestand.</p><p>Middleton is averaging 14.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, two assists, and 1.3 steals per game on 51.5% shooting from the field and 36.4% from three in his first full season with Washington. The Wizards are 1–2 and will host the Philadelphia 76ers (3–0) on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. ET on MNMT.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-giannis-antetokounmpo-becomes-3rd-dominant-stats-history">Bucks and Wizards opened the season against each other</a>, with Milwaukee earning a 133–120 win. Their second meeting is scheduled for December 1 at Capital One Arena.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Giannis Antetokounmpo drops ‘weird’ admission on Khris Middleton-Bucks 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/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-khris-middleton-sends-powerful-milwaukee-message-unforgettable-return');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards’ Khris Middleton sends powerful Bucks message after unforgettable return');   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/2025/10/Milwaukee-Bucks-forward-Giannis-Antetokounmpo-34-and-Washington-Wizards-forward-Khris-Middleton-22-1.jpg"><figcaption>Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Wizards’ Khris Middleton sends powerful Bucks message after unforgettable return</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-23T19:37:41-07:00">October 23rd, 7:37pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-23T19:37:41-07:00">October 23rd, 7:37pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Milwaukee Bucks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Khris Middleton had a powerful message for the Milwaukee community following his return in the Washington <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-watch-milwaukeetribute-to-khris-middleton-touching-video">Wizards’ matchup against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks</a> on Wednesday night.</p><p>Middleton represented the Bucks for 12 seasons (2012-2024) of his ongoing NBA career. This year marks his 14th in the league, his second with the Wizards after Milwaukee sent him there in exchange for Kyle Kuzma. The veteran forward earned three All-Star selections was the second leading scorer on a team that won the NBA championship in 2021.</p><p>The Milwaukee fanbase congratulated Middleton in his first game back at the arena he played most of his career in. The day after the game, he made a social media post that saw him <a href="https://x.com/Khris22m/status/1981472623549690081" rel="noopener">thank the community for their appreciation</a> of all he accomplished with the team.</p><p>“Milwaukee.. hard to put last night into words but the love was felt! I appreciate the warm welcome back… Will forever be a special place for me!! Thank you for an unforgettable night!” Middleton wrote.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Milwaukee.. hard to put last night into words but the love was felt! I appreciate the warm welcome back… Will forever be a special place for me!! Thank you for an unforgettable night! <a href="https://t.co/03muppm417">pic.twitter.com/03muppm417</a></p><p>— Khris Middleton (@Khris22m) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khris22m/status/1981472623549690081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>What lies ahead for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Milwaukee-Bucks-forward-Giannis-Antetokounmpo-34-and-Washington-Wizards-forward-Khris-Middleton-22-2.jpg"><figcaption>Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>It was a great night for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks to honor their former teammate in Khris Middleton. The historic achievements he had with them will forever be etched in NBA history.</p><p>In the meantime, Milwaukee started its season on a positive note by beating Middleton’s Wizards 133-120 in the season opener. Antetokounmpo was dominant as he finished with 37 points, 14 rebounds and five assists. On the other side, Middleton had 23 points, six rebounds and three assists in his season debut.</p><p>The Bucks will continue preparation for their next matchup, being on the road. They face the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards’ Khris Middleton sends powerful Bucks message after unforgettable return

<!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-watch-milwaukeetribute-to-khris-middleton-touching-video');   ga('set', 'title', 'Watch Bucks pay tribute to Khris Middleton with touching video');   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/2025/10/Bucks-1_4e118a.jpg"><figcaption>Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Watch Bucks pay tribute to Khris Middleton with touching video</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-23T07:06:47-07:00">October 23rd, 7:06am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-23T07:06:47-07:00">October 23rd, 7:06am</time><address><a href="https://www.downeuclid.com">Evan Dammarell</a>Evan Dammarell is an award-winning sports journalist covering all things Cleveland, including the Cavs, right off the shores of Lake Erie. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Milwaukee Bucks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Khris Middleton has walked through the tunnels of Fiserv Forum hundreds of times, but never like this. On Wednesday night, the longtime Milwaukee Bucks forward returned to the city where he became an All-Star, this time wearing a Washington Wizards uniform.</p><p>From the moment he stepped onto the court, the night was <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981160512097571097" rel="noopener">filled with gratitude and emotion</a>. The sold-out crowd gave <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-khris-middleton-reflects-emotional-return-milwaukee">Middleton a standing ovation during introductions</a>, again during a minute-long tribute video, and once more when he left the game after scoring 23 points in Washington’s 133-120 loss. The three-time <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-khris-middleton-says-giannis-love-to-see-him-tear-up-during-tribute-video">All-Star acknowledged the cheers by raising his arms</a> and placing his hand over his heart.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Khris Middleton receiving a nice ovation from the Bucks fans during the Wizards intros 🔊</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/brewcitypaul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@brewcitypaul</a>)<a href="https://t.co/WW47NTKE0z">pic.twitter.com/WW47NTKE0z</a> <a href="https://t.co/7t5DltpWVR">https://t.co/7t5DltpWVR</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981160512097571097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“That’s every player’s dream, to get a standing ovation no matter where they’re at,” Middleton said. “To get that type of recognition and appreciation from the city and organization meant the world to me.”</p><p>Middleton spent 12 seasons in Milwaukee, helping transform the Bucks from a struggling franchise into a champion. Acquired in a 2013 trade with Detroit, he became a cornerstone alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. Together, they led the Bucks to their first NBA title in 50 years during the 2021 season.</p><h2><b>Khris Middleton will be forever linked to the Bucks</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Bucks-2_b72b54.jpg"><figcaption>Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Middleton ranks second in games played for the franchise with 735, third in scoring with 12,586 points, and first in 3-pointers made with 1,382. He also made three All-Star teams and played a vital role in Milwaukee’s title run, averaging 23.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists during that postseason.</p><p>“I cannot explain how much Khris means to this team or to me,” Antetokounmpo said earlier this week. “That’s my brother for life.”</p><p>The Bucks traded Middleton and a 2024 first-round pick to Washington in February for Kyle Kuzma. While the move marked the end of an era, Milwaukee made sure to celebrate Middleton’s legacy. Coach Doc Rivers called Middleton “a Buck for life” and said he pushed the team’s video staff to create a “phenomenal” tribute.</p><p>As the video ended and the crowd roared, Middleton smiled and waved, soaking in the moment.</p><p>“You dream about hearing that kind of love,” he said. “I finally got that moment.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Watch Bucks pay tribute to Khris Middleton with touching video

<!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-reflects-emotional-return-milwaukee');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards’ Khris Middleton reflects on emotional return to Milwaukee');   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/Khris-Middleton-looks-on.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Wizards’ Khris Middleton reflects on emotional return to Milwaukee</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-22T23:50:44-07:00">October 22nd, 11:50pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-22T23:53:22-07:00">October 22nd, 11:53pm</time><address><a>Abdullah Imran</a>Abdullah Imran works as an Associate Editor for All Sports at ClutchPoints. He’s been a sports fan his entire life and enjoys writing about every sport. He has spent three years in sports journalism and loves analyzing games. In his free time, he very much enjoys binge-watching shows and playing video games.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Milwaukee Bucks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Washington Wizards forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/wizards-news-khris-middleton-reunites-bango-wizards">Khris Middleton experienced an emotional return to Milwaukee</a>, revisiting familiar grounds. Walking through the Fiserv Forum tunnels on Wednesday <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-giannis-antetokounmpo-becomes-3rd-dominant-stats-history">before the Wizards’ season-opening 133-120 loss</a> to the Milwaukee Bucks, Middleton acknowledged it felt surreal to be on the opposing side of a court he once called home. The 34-year-old spent 11-plus seasons with the Bucks after being traded from the Detroit Pistons in 2013.</p><p>Middleton’s tenure in Milwaukee revolutionized the team from perennial mediocrity into a championship contender. He and Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their first NBA title since 1971 in 2021. Over his career in Milwaukee, Middleton earned three All-Star appearances and ranks prominently on the franchise’s all-time lists: second in games played (735), third in points (12,586), third in assists (2,990), seventh in rebounds (3,598), fifth in steals (870), and first in three-pointers made (1,382).</p><p>As the stands held their collective breath, the pregame tribute ahead of Wednesday’s game poured his essence into the marrow of the franchise. The Bucks’ mascot, Bango, and the arena entertainment team welcomed Middleton with “For the Love of Money” by the O’Jays, a song historically associated with his scoring moments.</p><p>He received loud cheers when introduced in the starting lineup, and an even louder ovation during the first timeout as a tribute video featuring his top Bucks highlights played on the big screen.</p><p>Middleton, after the game, admitted the fan recognition <a href="https://x.com/LilySZhao/status/1981213572253569305" rel="noopener">was deeply meaningful</a>, noting:</p><p>“I try to get not too caught up in the moment, but the standing ovations are something that’s special, something that I really didn’t anticipate too much.” Middleton said (h/t Lily Zhao of FOX6 News). “To get that type of love and appreciation from the fans, man, that’s cool. I think we all picture ourselves as kids waving to 20,000 people, and I finally got that moment today.”</p><p>Asked whether he checked how many number 22 jerseys were in the crowd, he replied:</p><p>“Yeah, I did. It was cool very special, there were still a couple of 34’s, but nah, I mean, I definitely appreciate the 22’s,” Middleton said. “I think words really can’t describe that part. That people really spend their money on buying my jersey and wearing it to school, work, out to eat, wherever. That’s something I think my family definitely appreciates and loves, and I wish my father could have been here and seen this tonight because I know he would have loved it also.”</p><p>On the court, Middleton showcased his talent, leading the Wizards with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting, alongside six rebounds and three assists. He even took a charge on Antetokounmpo late in the second quarter. Nonetheless, the Wizards couldn’t recover from an early deficit, falling behind 40-23 after the first quarter as Milwaukee shot 60% from the field. Washington outscored the Bucks 67-61 in the second half, but the early gap ended up being too large to overcome.</p><p>Rookie Tre Johnson made a strong NBA debut, contributing 16 points in 25 minutes, including 50% shooting from three-point range. Kyshawn George started strong with 21 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, while Cam Whitmore added 14 points off the bench.</p><p>The Wizards (0-1) will play their next game on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks on the road, starting at 8:30 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards’ Khris Middleton reflects on emotional return to Milwaukee

<!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/wizards-news-khris-middleton-reunites-bango-wizards');   ga('set', 'title', 'Khris Middleton reunites with Bango before Bucks showdown');   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/2025/10/Middleton-and-Antetokounmpo.jpg"><figcaption>Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Khris Middleton reunites with Bango before Bucks showdown</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-22T17:41:22-07:00">October 22nd, 5:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-22T17:41:22-07:00">October 22nd, 5:41pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Milwaukee Bucks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Washington Wizards begin the 2025-26 season on Wednesday night on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks, and it’s an emotional game in that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-khris-middleton-says-giannis-love-to-see-him-tear-up-during-tribute-video">it will be Khris Middleton’s first game back in Milwaukee</a> as an opponent. Prior to the game, when Middleton arrived at the arena, he was <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981126904439853086" rel="noopener">greeted by an old friend</a> in the Bucks’ mascot, Bango. The two shared a hug before Middleton walked into a throng of familiar faces on his way in.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Khris Middleton arrives for 1st game back in Milwaukee ahead of tonight's Wizards-Bucks matchup 🙌</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a>)<a href="https://t.co/uhVEGzyfea">pic.twitter.com/uhVEGzyfea</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981126904439853086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-rumors-how-giannis-antetokounmpo-really-felt-about-khris-middleton-kyle-kuzma-trade">Bucks traded Khris Middleton to the Wizards last season</a> at the trade deadline, receiving forward Kyle Kuzma in return. It was a shocking move at the time, considering how important Middleton had been to the Bucks’ success over the years. He was a major part of the Bucks’ 2021 championship run.</p><p>During the Bucks’ title run, Middleton averaged 23.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.5 steals with splits of 43.8 percent shooting from the field, 34.3 percent shooting from the three-point line and 88.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>Following the trade last season, Middleton appeared in 14 games for the Wizards, all starts, at a little over 22 minutes per game. He averaged 10.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals with splits of 41.3 percent shooting from the field, 27.7 percent shooting from the three-point line and 86.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>Middleton began his career with the Detroit Pistons after they selected him with the No. 39 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He’s become one of the better second round picks in NBA history. He was originally acquired by the Bucks in a trade that brought Brandon Jennings to the Pistons.</p><p>Middleton ended up playing around 11 and a half seasons for the Bucks, being selected to three All-Star appearances during that time period. He now begins his first full season with the Wizards, his 14th overall, as one of the team’s veteran leaders amid a youthful core.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Khris Middleton reunites with Bango before Bucks showdown

<!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-says-giannis-love-to-see-him-tear-up-during-tribute-video');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards’ Khris Middleton says Giannis ‘would love’ to see him ‘tear up’ during tribute video');   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/2025/10/Middleton-and-Antetokounmpo.jpg"><figcaption>Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Wizards’ Khris Middleton says Giannis ‘would love’ to see him ‘tear up’ during tribute video</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-22T11:16:29-07:00">October 22nd, 11:16am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-22T17:28:50-07:00">October 22nd, 5:28pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On Wednesday evening, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/cj-mccollum-wizards-culture-standard-young-core">Washington Wizards will kick off their 2025-26 NBA season</a> with a road game <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-practice-video-shows-giannis-warning-teammates-being-fake-tough-guys">against the Milwaukee Bucks.</a> The game will mark the return of Khris Middleton to Milwaukee after the team traded him to Washington last year in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, who hasn’t exactly earned glowing reviews during his time with the Bucks so far.</p><p>As part of the festivities, the Bucks plan to honor Middleton with a tribute video, and ahead of that, Middleton <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981040583821938710" rel="noopener">got real on his state of mind</a> prior to the game.</p><p>“I’m hoping I don’t tear up. You never know. I know Giannis and a couple of the guys over there would love to see that,” said Middleton, per Lily Zhao of FOX6 News on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Middleton played a huge role in the Bucks’ 2021 NBA championship win, knocking down several clutch shots and arguably coming through as the team’s most valuable player in their Eastern Conference Finals win over the Atlanta Hawks after Giannis Antetokounmpo went down with an injury.</p><p>Of course, Antetokounmpo would return and win NBA Finals MVP, but the Bucks most certainly would not have won that championship had it not been for Middleton’s contributions.</p><h2><b>An interesting Wizards team</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Khris-Middleton-looks-on.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Washington Wizards are hoping to take a step forward this year after spending the last several years as one of the NBA’s cellar dwellers. The team has brought in an intriguing collection of veteran talent to supplement the youth, including both Middleton and CJ McCollum, whom the team got back after sending Jordan Poole to the New Orleans Pelicans.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Wizards have some interesting young pieces on their roster as well, including Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, and Cam Whitmore, among others. If some of those players can take another leap in 2025-26, the Wizards could start to be taken seriously as a legitimate NBA team by competition this year.</p><p>In any case, the Wizards and Bucks are set to tip off at 8:00 PM ET from Milwaukee on Wednesday evening.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards’ Khris Middleton says Giannis ‘would love’ to see him ‘tear up’ during tribute video

<!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/kyle-kuzma-trade-bucks-fix-khris-middleton-mistake');   ga('set', 'title', 'The Kyle Kuzma trade Bucks must make to fix Khris Middleton mistake');   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/2025/07/The-Kyle-Kuzma-trade-Bucks-must-make-to-fix-Khris-Middleton-mistake.jpg"></figure><h1>The Kyle Kuzma trade Bucks must make to fix Khris Middleton mistake</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-09T07:00:37-07:00">July 9th, 7:00am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-09T07:00:37-07:00">July 9th, 7:00am</time><address><a>Paolo Mariano</a>Paolo Mariano is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. He is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas and the father of a young girl whose personality swings from Simone Biles to Dillon Brooks. A beacon of objectivity, he believes Penny Hardaway is the true NBA GOAT.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Milwaukee Bucks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/grading-myles-turners-107-million-bucks-contract-2025-nba-free-agency">Milwaukee Bucks made a strong offseason move</a> after acquiring center Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers on a four-year deal worth $107 million, according to ESPN.</p><p>The Bucks, however, had to waive star Damian Lillard to make room for Turner. It was a stunning yet necessary move, as Milwaukee used the NBA’s stretch provision to pay the $112.6 million owed to Lillard, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, over the next five years.</p><p>Now, there’s only one question left for the Bucks: How to trade forward Kyle Kuzma?</p><p>Milwaukee <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-trade-grade-kyle-kuzma-khris-middleton-bucks-deal">landed Kuzma in a midseason three-team trade</a> with the Washington Wizards and the New York Knicks. The Bucks let go of forward Khris Middleton, guard AJ Johnson, guard Delon Wright, and draft picks, while also acquiring center Jericho Sims from the Knicks.</p><p>The deal, however, didn’t bode too well for Milwaukee. While Kuzma was productive in 33 games, averaging 14.5 points on 45.5% shooting and 5.6 rebounds, he wasn’t a great fit alongside star Giannis Antetokounmpo. There’s also the issue of his hefty contract worth $22.5 million per year.</p><p>Middleton, despite being slowed down by a series of injuries over the last few seasons, was the perfect partner for Antetokounmpo. He didn’t need the ball too much, was a decent defender, and a reliable outside shooter. These were things that Kuzma couldn’t replicate, although his handful of games with the Bucks were only a small sample size.</p><h2>The Bucks’ logical trade for Kyle Kuzma</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_1485.jpeg"><figcaption>Benny Sieu-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Perhaps a perfect move for the Bucks is shipping Kuzma to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for forward Patrick Williams.</p><p>Williams was drafted by the Bulls as the fourth overall pick in 2020, envisioning him as a two-way frontcourt stud. Williams, however, hasn’t panned out for Chicago. He has struggled to find his groove due to a spate of injuries, only playing 276 games in five seasons in Windy City. Last year, he shot an atrocious 39.7% from the field.</p><p>Going to Milwaukee could be a much-needed change of scenery for the 23-year-old Williams. Playing for a new squad and starting from scratch could unleash his true potential. He could be plugged in as a starter right away alongside Antetokounmpo and Turner in the frontcourt. He could also play a sixth man role if forward Bobby Portis gets promoted into the first unit.</p><p>The former Florida State standout has the tools to be a solid defender (an upgrade from Kuzma) and an inside presence on offense. While he’s not exactly an outside shooter, he can make up for it with his energy and motor. Bucks coach Doc Rivers can also utilize the 6-foot-7 Williams if he decides to go small. A lineup of Antetokounmpo, Williams, AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., and Kevin Porter Jr. could create havoc on both ends.</p><p>Simply put, Williams hasn’t scratched the surface yet.</p><h2>Kyle Kuzma with the Bulls</h2><p>For their part, the Bulls will get a versatile scorer in Kuzma. He has the talent to create his own shots, punish smaller defenders, and easily drop 30 points on a good day. He’s also an underrated rebounder when he’s willing. He could also play a sixth man role for Chicago, playing behind sophomore Matas Buzelis, who showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie stint. Kuzma could provide instant offense off the bench when Buzelis, guard Coby White, and center Nikola Vucevic are resting.</p><p>At 29 years old, Kuzma is still in his prime, and getting a more defined role could do wonders for him. To add, he won’t carry a lot of pressure, unlike with the Bucks, wherein he was expected to produce right away for a perennial contender, and with the Wizards, wherein he was thrusted into the alpha role along with guard Jordan Poole.</p><p>The Bulls were the <a href="https://www.espn.ph/nba/stats/team/_/season/2025/seasontype/2">sixth-best scoring team last season</a>, putting up 117.8 points per game. Adding Kuzma, who was a key piece in the Los Angeles Lakers’ title run in 2020, could help them become even more potent offensively or maintain their ranking, at the very least.</p><p>Chicago has only been to the playoffs once—losing to, incidentally, Milwaukee in the first round in 2022—in the last eight seasons. Kuzma could help the Bulls get over the hump.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

The Kyle Kuzma trade Bucks must make to fix Khris Middleton mistake

<!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-giannis-shut-down-khris-middleton-jimmy-butler-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Bucks rumors: Giannis once shut down Khris Middleton-Jimmy Butler 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/2025/07/Antetokounmpo-and-Middleton.jpg"><figcaption>Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Bucks rumors: Giannis once shut down Khris Middleton-Jimmy Butler trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-02T10:29:28-07:00">July 2nd, 10:29am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-02T10:29:28-07:00">July 2nd, 10:29am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Milwaukee Bucks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/brian-windhorst-breaks-down-why-damian-lillard-release-made-sense">Milwaukee Bucks have had</a> a busy offseason, recently waiving Damian Lillard and stretching out the remainder of his contract so that they could <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-news-milwaukee-slammed-reckless-damian-lillard-strategy-myles-turner">sign free agent center Myles Turner</a> to a deal. The move appeared to be a last-ditch effort by the Bucks to reiterate their commitment to Giannis Antetokounmpo, although the star reportedly wasn’t onboard with them waiving Lillard, per NBA insider Chris B. Haynes.</p><p>Antetokounmpo hasn’t been known to be that adamant of an influence on his front office as compared to other superstars around the league over the years, but recently, former Bucks center John Henson <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1940452282891682097" rel="noopener">recalled a time</a> when the Greek Freak essentially vetoed a trade regarding two All-Star players.</p><p>“There was a trade… Khris Middleton for Jimmy Butler swap – Giannis was like ‘nah we’re not doing that’ – that was only time I’ve ever seen him stand up &amp; say something,” said Henson, per SiriusXM NBA Radio on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>It’s unclear exactly when this proposed trade would have occurred, but the story certainly fits in with Antetokounmpo’s theme of remaining loyal to his Bucks teammates over the years.</p><p>Of course, the Bucks ultimately ended up trading Middleton this past season to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kyle Kuzma in a move that did not exactly pay dividends for either franchise.</p><h2><b>Strange times for the Bucks</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pacers-Myles-Turner-vs.-Giannis-Bucks.jpg"><figcaption>Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While signing Myles Turner certainly made the Bucks more of a threat than they otherwise would have been after losing center Brook Lopez in free agency, Milwaukee still figures to be several tiers below teams like the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference hierarchy at the present juncture.</p><p>This season, all eyes will be on Milwaukee and whether or not Antetokounmpo will eventually ask for a trade from the franchise that drafted him in 2013 and where he grew to become one of the greatest players in NBA history.</p><p>While there is still some work to be done this offseason, at this point, it doesn’t seem that the Bucks have many avenues to make themselves that much better before the 2025-26 campaign gets underway.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bucks rumors: Giannis once shut down Khris Middleton-Jimmy Butler 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-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>

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

<!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-bilal-coulibaly-khris-middleton');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards’ Bilal Coulibaly gets honest about Khris Middleton');   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/Wizards-news-Bilal-Coulibaly-gets-honest-about-Khris-Middleton.jpg"></figure><h1>Wizards’ Bilal Coulibaly gets honest about Khris Middleton</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-23T08:05:41-08:00">February 23rd, 8:05am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-23T09:15:45-08:00">February 23rd, 9:15am</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Washington Wizards are still adjusting after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/bucks-news-khris-middleton-wizards-kyle-kuzma-trade">swapping Kyle Kuzma for Khris Middleton</a> in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 5. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/wizards-news-khris-middleton-highs-lows-washington-debut">Middleton has only played one game</a> with the Wizards (9-46) so far, but he’s already made an impression in the locker room.</p><p>Bilal Coulibaly <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1893362627880878577" rel="noopener">said that the former</a> NBA champion “is great” after Saturday’s practice.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bilal Coulibaly is happy to have Khris Middleton around. Said that the young core has “a lot to learn” from the 13th-year vet. <a href="https://t.co/eBNvwdP0ec">pic.twitter.com/eBNvwdP0ec</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1893362627880878577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“[He’s] great, man. He’s talking to everybody, he wants to help,” the second-year guard said. “Whenever you got a question, he’s gonna answer. He knows a lot about the game, so we’ve got a lot to learn from him.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/wizards-news-khris-middleton-breaks-silence-bucks-trade">Middleton mentioned on Wednesday</a> that while he’s willing to be a mentor, he also wants to focus on winning and being competitive. However, the two go hand in hand, as leading by example is one of the best ways to teach the youngsters.</p><p>It almost worked on Friday night, as Middleton took the last three shots for Washington in its 104-101 loss to the Bucks (31-24). The first was a contested three that he drilled from the top of the key over Kevin Porter Jr. with 1:01 left, which Coulibaly assisted.</p><p>Unfortunately, the second was a layup that got blocked by Brook Lopez with 33 seconds left, and the third was a contested three off an inbound pass that clanked off the backboard at the buzzer.</p><p>The 33-year-old earned the right to take those shots throughout the game, though. He knocked down his first two jumpers in the first quarter, one being his patented fadeaway from midrange and the other a swish from midrange while being fouled. He then contributed in every facet as the contest went on, totaling five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.</p><p>Jordan Poole, on the other hand, was having a quiet night. After a 42-point outing in the Wizards’ 134-130 overtime loss to the Indiana Pacers before the All-Star break, the 25-year-old had just 11 points (3-11 FG, 0-5 3 PT). He usually gets the last shot, but this was the perfect time for Washington to try something new.</p><p>It didn’t work out, but <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1893361079083807030" rel="noopener">one game won’t deter</a> Wizards head coach Brian Keefe from going to Middleton, or anybody, in crunch time again.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Wizards head coach Brian Keefe said that the “closer” can change from “minute to minute and game to game.” Could be Khris Middleton, Jordan Poole or someone else based on matchups and game flow.</p><p>Middleton took the last two shots last night in his first game with the team. <a href="https://t.co/SezWvj77Vi">pic.twitter.com/SezWvj77Vi</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1893361079083807030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Those things you’re always looking at minute to minute, game to game, matchups, things you’re seeing on the court live,” he said. “We’ve got multiple guys that we can put the balls in their hands and make plays, so it might not even be just those two [Middleton and Poole]. We’ve used a variety of guys down the stretch of games, so we’ll continue do that.”</p><p>Speaking of other options, Kyshawn George has made a case for himself recently.</p><h2><b>Young Wizards shine in different ways</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Wizards-Kyshawn-George.jpg"></figure><p>One of the best ways for a young player to stand out is to contribute in other ways on bad shooting nights, and George did just that on Friday. The rookie scored only four points (1-11 FG, 1-5 3PT), but added nine rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and one steal across 34 minutes. He led the team in rebounds and blocks while co-leading in assists with Poole.</p><p>This didn’t happen by accident, as George mentioned on Saturday that he’s <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1893680820537201077" rel="noopener">worked on improving his skills</a> outside of scoring.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kyshawn George told me yesterday that he’s looking to expand his game into different areas. The rookie’s primarily known for shooting, but he led the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wizards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Wizards</a> in rebounds (9) and blocks (2) on Friday night, while also tying for the lead in assists (5). <a href="https://t.co/GxPuCyjHYs">pic.twitter.com/GxPuCyjHYs</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1893680820537201077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Yeah, for sure. I think I need to expand my game in different areas,” the Miami alum said. “Obviously my shooting is what I’m known for first, but now people are saying I can defend multiple positions and playmake as well. I think rebounding is an aspect that we can all control, just going and getting the ball. It’s something I’m looking forward to.”</p><p>Friday, though, was the first time that George struggled to score since Washington traded Kuzma. The 21-year-old averaged 14.8 points per game on 51.3 percent shooting from Feb. 5-12, with a 56.5 percent clip from deep. That’s significant for a player who still averages just eight points on 35.7 percent shooting (31 percent from three) on the season. Keefe could let him close out some games down the stretch if he catches fire like that again.</p><p>Kuzma’s absence seemed to help George unlock a new level in his game, at least when Middleton was also out. However, the No. 24 overall pick was still happy to see his former teammate on Friday.</p><p>“It was cool, it was nice to compete against him on the court,” George said. “It’s fun to start seeing the business side of the NBA, being able to play with someone in the beginning of the season and then compete against them in the second half.”</p><p>Kuzma had a good night in his return to D.C., leading Milwaukee with 19 points (8-19 FG, 2-7 3PT). The 29-year-old also tallied eight rebounds, five assists, and a steal across 34 minutes, showing why he’s an important contributor in the Bucks’ quest for a title.</p><p>However, there’s no doubt that dealing him was the right move for the Wizards. They need long-term pieces, and landing No. 23 overall pick AJ Johnson was well worth it. The rookie has already shown promise, as he dunked on 2025 All-Star Evan Mobley for his first bucket with Washington in its 134-124 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 7.</p><p>Johnson also led the Capital City Go-Go (Wizards’ G League affiliate) with a career-high 25 points (8-17 FG, 5-11 3 PT) and six assists across 35 minutes in their 128-107 win over the Windy City Bulls (Chicago Bulls’ affiliate) on Saturday.</p><p>That’s not to mention Colby Jones, who Washington sent down to the G League along with Johnson just hours before the game. The 22-year-old, who the Wizards acquired from the Sacramento <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/grizzlies-news-memphis-makes-marcus-smart-deal-wizards-beat-trade-deadline-buzzer">Kings in the Marcus Smart trade</a>, added 17 points (6-11 FG, 3-6 3PT) with seven rebounds, five steals, and four assists in 33 minutes.</p><p>It’s safe to say that Washington has a bevy of talented youngsters that can learn from Middleton, whether or not he takes the last shot.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards’ Bilal Coulibaly gets honest about Khris Middleton

<!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-highs-lows-washington-debut');   ga('set', 'title', 'Khris Middleton shows highs and lows in Wizards debut');   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/Wizards-news-Khris-Middleton-shows-highs-and-lows-in-Washington-debut.jpg"></figure><h1>Khris Middleton shows highs and lows in Wizards debut</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-21T20:51:29-08:00">February 21st, 8:51pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-21T23:20:03-08:00">February 21st, 11:20pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/washington-wizards-2025-nba-trade-deadline-grade-marcus-smart-2">new-look Washington Wizards</a> learned plenty about both their veterans and youngsters in their 104-101 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/wizards-news-khris-middleton-breaks-silence-bucks-trade">Khris Middleton was a centerpiece</a> of those revelations in his first game with his new team.</p><p>The 33-year-old scored 12 points (4-10 FG, 1-4 3 PT) with five rebounds, two assists, and two steals across 25 minutes, but missed the last two shots in crunch time against his former squad. However, Wizards (9-46) coach Brian Keefe didn’t regret running the offense through Middleton to close out the contest.</p><p>“He’s been doing this a long time,” he said. “He’s done this at a high level, so we have trust in him to be able to execute. He’s a closer, has been for a very long time in this league, and we’re gonna take advantage of having him on our roster.”</p><p>Indeed, Middleton made his bones as a second option next to Giannis Antetokounmpo over the last decade, earning three All-Star selections and a championship ring in the process. The Texas A&amp;M alum was blocked in the paint by Brook Lopez with 33 seconds left and missed the game-tying three with Kyle Kuzma’s hand in his face at the buzzer, but that won’t keep Washington from looking to him when it matters most.</p><p>His <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/1893126325210144900" rel="noopener">contested three over</a> Kevin Porter Jr. with 1:01 left in the game showed why.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="qme">🫢 <a href="https://t.co/Er0J1Gui7W">https://t.co/Er0J1Gui7W</a> <a href="https://t.co/t02Cw1QDrF">pic.twitter.com/t02Cw1QDrF</a></p><p>— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/1893126325210144900?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Part of having veteran mentors leading the squad is letting them show the youngsters how to win. It didn’t work out in this case, but Middleton has earned the right to lead by example in the biggest moments. After all, the former Olympian owns the Bucks’ (31-24) franchise record for made threes.</p><p>Speaking of the youngsters, this was another good night for both Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George. Sarr out-dueled Antetokounmpo, scoring a career-high 22 points (8-19 FG, 4-10 3 PT) with seven rebounds, two steals, one assist, one block, and two turnovers across 26 minutes.</p><p>Meanwhile, the “Greek Freak” tallied 18 points (6-9 FG) with six boards, three assists, one steal, a rejection, and a game-high seven turnovers in 19 minutes. He also fouled out with 3:36 left.</p><p>Additionally, George made up for his poor shooting night (four points, 1-11 FG) with a superb defensive and rebounding effort. The 21-year-old ended Antetokounmpo’s outing by <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/1893124645156499576" rel="noopener">blocking his layup</a>, corralling the board, and drawing the superstar’s sixth and final foul.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">ACCESS DENIED 🔒 <a href="https://t.co/9K0yK7gfq6">pic.twitter.com/9K0yK7gfq6</a></p><p>— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/1893124645156499576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>George led the Wizards with nine rebounds and two blocks, while also tying for the team lead with five assists. He added a steal as well across 34 minutes.</p><p>Although the wins haven’t come yet, the fact that Washington’s rookies are impacting all phases of the game against playoff teams is an exciting development for the rebuilding franchise.</p><h2><b>Giannis Antetokounmpo compliments Wizards’ youngsters</b></h2><p>It’s not easy to contain Antetokounmpo, as the two-time MVP averages 31.5 points on 61 percent shooting with 12.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. Those numbers rank second, eighth, fifth, and 25th respectively, but the basketball titan was not the same player on Friday. It’s no surprise <a href="https://twitter.com/bijan_todd/status/1893143088089989177" rel="noopener">that he gushed over</a> Washington’s young core post-game, via Monumental Sports Network’s Bijan Todd.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I asked Giannis about Wizards rookies (again). His answer provided some amazing advice (again).</p><p>Says it’s tempting to want to “get yours” on a rebuilding team, but building good team-focused habits is key.</p><p>Says he’s excited to see what the “very talented” group can become. <a href="https://t.co/pQQOMdWQUH">pic.twitter.com/pQQOMdWQUH</a></p><p>— Bijan Todd (@bijan_todd) <a href="https://twitter.com/bijan_todd/status/1893143088089989177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“[They’re] great. [They] play hard. They’re trying to figure out their spots right now, but you can see that they’re very, very talented,” Antetokounmpo said. “They just gotta keep on learning how to play the game. Creating good habits, because sometimes when you’re not on a very good team, you can develop some bad habits, or you can think about how you can get yours.”</p><p>“But if you keep playing the right way and play winning basketball…you’re gonna develop a great talent,” he continued. “They’re young, though, they’re very young. They have bright futures…so I’m excited to see them in the future.”</p><p>There’s no better habit than focusing on defense, rebounding, and passing when shots aren’t falling. It’s a classic veteran move, and George is already learning how to do that at a high level despite having just one NCAA season and 48 NBA games under his belt. Imagine how far along the rookie will be by this time next season.</p><p>Ditto for Sarr, whose ability to balance rim protection with offense is promising, especially after shooting just 9-of-47 from the floor in Summer League. The No. 2 overall pick’s four threes on Friday tied Corey Kispert for the most on the team, and his last one shrunk the deficit to 100-96 with 2:39 left.</p><p>Next up is a road date with the Orlando Magic (28-30) on Sunday, who represent what the Wizards are trying to become. The team is led by 2024 All-Star Paolo Banchero, who it drafted No. 1 overall in 2022, as well as Franz Wagner (25.1 PPG) and Jalen Suggs (16.2 PPG). Orlando drafted Wagner No. 8 overall in ’21 and Suggs No. 5 the same year.</p><p>A good performance against the Magic by Washington’s youngsters would be a symbolic moment in the team’s rebuild. The Wizards are nowhere near where they want to be yet, but they’re getting a step closer with each quality outing.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
14.3	4.3	2.0	-	1.3

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
14.3	4.3	2.0	-	1.3

Khris Middleton news

Khris
Middleton news