Khris Middleton picking up $33 million player option with Wizards makes him trade candidate to watch

The Washington Wizards come into the offseason looking to continue their rebuilding efforts after another lean year in the nation’s capital. The Wizards have the 6th and 18th picks in this week’s NBA Draft to try adding more young talent to this roster, but they also figure to be active in the trade market and free agency this summer. 

One of the only looming questions coming into this offseason in Washington was Khris Middleton’s $33.3 million player option, but on Monday word broke from Shams Charania that he picked up that option for the 2025-26 season. That’s not a surprise, as Middleton would have found it hard to get that much on a new deal, but it also provides the Wizards with another avenue on the trade market. 

A year ago, general manager Will Dawkins bluntly proclaimed that they were still in the “deconstruction phase” of the rebuild, but coming into the 2025 offseason, the goal is to start laying a real foundation for the future. Middleton, at 33 years old, will not be a part of that future after coming over at the deadline in a trade for Kyle Kuzma, and so the Wizards will likely spend the coming months — and potentially all the way up to next February’s trade deadline — exploring ways to get some future assets or young players to send Middleton to a hopeful contender. 

The question with Middleton, as it has been for a few years now, is his health. He’s only played in 125 games over the past three seasons due to nagging knee issues, but when he’s on the floor he’s still a helpful secondary scoring option on the perimeter. That, coupled with his championship experience as a key member of the Bucks 2021 title team, will make him an intriguing potential addition for a hopeful contender.

Middleton probably can’t be expected to play the same role he did in Milwaukee, but Washington could take on a bloated salary from a playoff team and send back Middleton if it nets them an asset or two. It might benefit all parties for Middleton to start the year in Washington, providing a veteran presence for a young team while proving he’s still capable of producing at a high level, to raise his value prior to an in-season trade.