Khris Middleton is in an interesting position heading into this offseason. With his 13th NBA season coming to an end, he is expected to opt into a $34 million player option. If he accepts, he’ll be the oldest player on a young and rebuilding roster. Middleton controls his immediate future; however, the Wizards hold his long-term cards. They can decide what is best for the franchise heading into the next few seasons. The Wizards have three potential routes they can consider for Middleton going into next season; let’s discuss them.
Wizards Need to Consider Khris Middleton’s Future
Route 1: Let Middleton Stay
It’s simple, Middleton is arguably one of the best veterans in the league this young roster could have guiding them. Not only is he a great vet, but he’s also capable of being a solid contributor on both ends of the court. While this season hasn’t been a strong one for Middleton, injuries have to be considered. Middleton didn’t play in his first game this season until December after recovering from a pair of ankle surgeries. Before the trade to the Wizards, Middleton only played in 23 games. Since the 2022 playoffs, Middleton has missed over 80 games due to injury or recovery from surgery. However, if the Wizards can maintain his health, he can be a huge factor in games.
Offensively, Middleton averages 16.7 points over his career on 46.1% from the field and 38.7% from three and can be a consistent threat for a team that lacks any type of scoring stability except for Jordan Poole. Defensively, Middleton can hold his own when healthy. The past few years he’s been criticized for being too slow, but again injuries play a role. In his early years, he was known as a 3-and-D threat. In the seven games he’s played so far in Washington, he is averaging 12.3 points, 4.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and is tied for his career-high of 1.7 steals.
Middleton also brings playoff experience to a roster that has very little of it. Besides Poole, Middleton is the only other player on the active roster to have a championship. While a few guys have been in the playoffs, Middleton, Poole, Marcus Smart, and Malcolm Brogdon are the only ones to have any finals experience. If the Wizards keep him around, he will certainly be a mentor to the developing squad.
Route 2: Trade Middleton in the Offseason
This would be an interesting proposition. Middleton’s market value is limited. Injury concerns aside, Middleton is entering his last few seasons in the league. At 33, teams who want Middleton know the risks they would be taking. While Middleton has played alright in Washington, it hasn’t been enough to prove he would be a solid contributor to a contending team. However, could there be a market in the offseason for him? Absolutely, as a $34 million expiring contract Middleton could draw some interest.
Any team contending for a championship wants a guy like Middleton on their squad. The playoff experience he has, his leadership, and his consistency are all great reasons for Washington to try and shop him around. Teams that feel they may be one piece away could certainly look to grab Middleton, they just need to cap space to do so. Alterantvity teams could be interested in freeing up cap space for the 2026 offseason and Middleton could help with that.
The Wizards would need to understand they will almost certainly not get Middleton’s veteran value back. The risk Middleton brings to the table with injuries and a big contract next season could be worth it for a team needing his abilities and experience if he can eliminate health concerns. The front office shipping Middleton out early may not be the best of moves, it may be better to wait.
Route 3: Trade Middleton When Time is Right
If the Wizards are looking for a best-case scenario for trading Middleton, they need to be patient. As mentioned earlier, Middleton has played alright in Washington, but not enough for his trade value to be changed. Trading Kyle Kuzma for Middleton wasn’t a terrible deal. Washington brought in Middleton and a 2028 first-round pick swap, quite a decent return for Kuzma, who was having his worst season since arriving in Washington. The Wizards would not get that kind of deal from anyone else for Middleton. However, if they give Middleton the offseason to rest and get fully healthy, his trade value will almost certainly increase.
Middleton would be a quality option offensively for the Wizards. While not the overall number-one option, he’s a threat from just about anywhere on the court and can fill the bucket up with crazy efficiency for a guy entering his mid-30s. You combine that with the NBA’s worst offensive rating (105.8) and net rating (-11.8) team, you can see where he’ll make his impact. Middleton will need to prove he’s healthy, but he can certainly boost his value if the Wizards give him the green light.
Around the deadline, most teams have in mind the changes their roster needs to improve their chances in the playoffs. If this season’s trade deadline is a tell, anyone can be sent anywhere. As long as Middleton is playing solid, the Wizards could see a variety of calls from some of the league’s best teams. With that, they could put pressure down to get more in return than what they could in the offseason.
The Last Word
Middleton can still be a factor in the league. Even in his later years, he’s proven that he can be a solid contributor to any offensive situation. In any role, Middleton has consistently been relied on to deliver. Washington knows this, and it’s now on them to figure out if his risk of injury is worth all the money, or if the return is worth sending him away. Either way, the Wizards will have their hands full of options for him.
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