February 5, 2025, the National Basketball Association (NBA) Eastern Conference’s Milwaukee Bucks broke down its core in a drastic way. General manager Jon Horst came to the decision of trading Milwaukee gem Khris Middleton (22) and high value rookie AJ Johnson (77) to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma (18) and Patrick Baldwin Jr. (7). Horst followed up the decision by shipping newly acquired Baldwin to the San Antonio Spurs along with cash in order to open up salary cap space for the future trade window. Off the bat, this trade alarms any Bucks fans willing to recognize the sentimental value in this exchange. Middleton’s tenure with Milwaukee spans the same timeframe as franchise star Giannis Antetekounmpo (34), bearing the brunt of failure alongside Antetokounmpo over the years and working to help Milwaukee reach the peak. This trade may provide the Bucks a scorer, but in return they chipped off a piece of the franchise no player could restore.
A usual argument towards trading players such as Middleton lies in the cruel nature of the league. Players are assets first and people second in the eyes of owners. Managing to gain a scorer in Kuzma in exchange for an aging Middleton may seem a worthwhile trade, especially with Kuzma’s age allowing him to develop further. However, owners never seem to consider what players mean in the eyes of the fans and how much those players’ values hold to locals. The league may simply analyze players by their box scores and what they can do on the court, but fans love how energized a player feels for the team and how ready they remain to lay it all on the court for their franchise.
“I remember when the Philadelphia 76ers decided to get rid of Jimmy Butler (10) in 2019. I get that they needed to get rid of someone in order to open up space for other players to get better contracts, but they should have at least considered what he had done for Philadelphia. I can’t forgive the owners for getting rid of him, but I feel like we got better in exchange,” junior Xavier Duke said.
This trade seemed rushed and sporadic from its conception. Horst’s decision to ship Johnson out before he gains an opportunity to prove his worth ruins the perception of his first round pick credibility. While the decision to acquire Baldwin and flip him for improved cap space seems correct, that banks on the assumption that the front office could find a viable asset in the offseason that could both fit the cap space and boost the roster a considerable amount. Overall, this trade seems the consequence of panicking and pressure built on by watching every other team begin to move assets around so close to the trade deadline.
“I feel like Luka Dončić (77) getting traded to the Los Angeles Lakers definitely changed the whole NBA’s views on trades. With someone so impactful getting shipped out for such a low value, every team got bold and it is why every team started moving assets at the same time. With Dončić’s trade, the whole league’s views on which players are essentially untouchable was definitely erased,” magnet senior Rory Pulley said.
Analyzing both players, their games share similarities defensively, with both averaging around .6 steals and .2 blocks a game, but all similarities end on the other side of the court. Kuzma averages 15 points on a less than efficient 42% from the field, 29% from beyond the arc and 62% from the free throw line, nearing the same free throw efficiency as Antetekounmpo known for his severely flawed shooting. Middleton averages only 12 points, but on an impactful 51, 40 and 85%. While Middleton lost his scoring impact that set him as the third option for Milwaukee, he still maintains his efficiency, setting him apart from Kuzma, who’s efficiency and shot selection garners criticism from Wizards fans. However, Kuzma sticks by his role of scoring when the team needs him to and so, despite the efficiency, Kuma’s possession-ends-here style barely edges him ahead of Middleton on scoring.
Sentimentally, the trade shattered the hearts of Bucks fans nationwide. Middleton arrived in Milwaukee 2013, the same year as Antetekounmpo’s drafting. Despite the low expectations, Middleton kept his head up and worked hard alongside Antetokounmpo to establish his name as one of the premier players in the East, gaining selection for three all stars and an Olympic gold medal in 2020. What truly solidified Middleton’s name in Bucks history came from the 2021 championship, where he carried the team on his back during the conference finals without Antetokounmpo in order to close out the series against the Atlanta Hawks. Despite going into game three of the finals down two games and the rumors of a finals sweep coming from Phoenix Suns fans, Middleton continued his awe-inspiring playoff run, averaging 24 points and helping Milwaukee complete the comeback. Losing a player as meaningful to the team as Middleton could ruin the team chemistry for longer than the coaching staff could hope for.
From an outside looking in perspective, any NBA fan would argue that the Bucks made a positive decision, Kuzma’s fit in Milwaukee could help cover up any holes defensively. But, Milwaukee fans losing Middleton hurts the chemistry in a way no new player could repair. Hopefully, Kuzma finds his footing in Milwaukee and helps elevate the team into a top-seeded playoff team, but with doubts in consistency and shot selection, the lights shining on Milwaukee begin to dim.
