"When Khris Middleton arrived in Washington, his future on the Wizards was unclear. Obviously, Washington traded for him with the thought process that he could be a capable veteran presence for the team's young core, but it was clear that the Wizards main motive behind the Wizards' blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Bucks ahead of the NBA trade deadline in February was to offload the contract of Kyle Kuzma."
"If Middleton was able to use a change of scenery to his advantage by proving there was plenty left in the tank and his injury issues could be left in the past, Washington could find a way to offload the veteran forward to a playoff contender and flip another contract for additional compensation. However, if he wasn't, Washington was aware that the most likely scenario that would play out would be the forward opting into his lucrative player option this offseason."
"At 34, it's fair to say Middleton would rather be in a situation to contend for an NBA championship as his career unfolds. Despite that, the savvy vet seems that he's entering the season fully prepared to embrace his role on a rebuilding team. In fact, Middleton took the time to share exactly what he loves about the Wizards young squad in a recent interview with The Athletic's Josh Robbins:"
Washington acquired Khris Middleton mainly to provide veteran presence and to facilitate shedding Kyle Kuzma's contract. If Middleton had demonstrated full recovery and sustained performance, the Wizards could have flipped him to a contender for added compensation. Middleton opted into his lucrative player option this offseason and will remain with the team. At 34, he would prefer a championship-contending role but is prepared to embrace a leadership role on a rebuilding roster. Middleton values the young players' eagerness and energy, and he intends to guide them without overstepping as a "super vet," giving them room to grow.
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