After weeks of trade rumors, the Milwaukee Bucks have made a deal... and it's a head-scratcher.
The Bucks have traded Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson and a pick swap to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and second-round compensation. On the surface, this could go down as one of the worst trades the Milwaukee Bucks have made in a long time, but it also opens the door for them to do more before the trade deadline horn sounds, which could soften the blow of what just went down.
The Bucks just traded away a promising rookie they used a pick on
Khris Middleton being traded wasn't surprising. Though he showed glimpses of being his former self, he was clearly struggling to find his footing, as expected coming off duel ankle surgeries. However, a major twist that no one saw coming in any Middleton-Kuzma trade was the inclusion of AJ Johnson.
This past summer, the Milwaukee Bucks used a first-round pick, something that only happens once in a blue moon, on Johnson. Given that he was 19 at the time, it was a major gamble for the Bucks, who could have used a more experienced player to help immediately, but it made some sense after seeing him play in the Summer League and in the G-League. The potential was there, though it may have taken some time for him to unearth it.
AJ Johnson very well could have been a future building block for a team that is rapidly aging and lacks the type of athleticism, burst and energy that Johnson oftentimes showed. Now, he's gone, giving the rebuilding Wizards a promising piece to try and unleash. Trading Johnson isn't the end of the world, but it would have made more sense in a bigger deal for someone like Kevin Durant.
Bucks fans were willing to be patient, but the front office pulled the plug on their own experiment in a deal that is not a clear win for Milwaukee.
Not only did the Milwaukee Bucks give up a franchise legend in Khris Middleton, but they also traded one of the few young players who had plenty of potential. Immediately, it's a headscratcher. However, the Bucks are now out of the second apron, and depending on what moves they make following this trade for Kyle Kuzma, it could look a lot better. It could also end up panning out horribly.
Time will tell. More moves should certainly happen between now and Thursday's trade deadline.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.