Khris Middleton, a three-time NBA All-Star and 2021 NBA champion, has agreed a three-year, $17.6 million sign-and-trade deal that sends him back to the Washington Wizards as part of a six-team trade.
Middleton, 34, was a free agent after his stint with the Dallas Mavericks. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the deal involves the Wizards, Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies.
Players involved in the trade
According to Charania, the deal sends John Collins, Gary Harris and Taurean Prince to Detroit, Isaiah Stewart to Memphis, Santi Aldama to Dallas, and Caris LeVert to Milwaukee. The Wizards are also sending former No. 2 overall pick D'Angelo Russell to the Grizzlies, along with a future second-round pick and a future second-round pick swap.
Middleton's return to Washington
Middleton is returning to a city where he has spent part of the last two seasons and will enter his 15th NBA season later this year. He is best known for his 12 seasons with the Bucks, where he won the NBA Championship in 2021 and the NBA Cup in 2024.
Middleton was traded to the Wizards at the 2025 deadline before being moved on to the Mavericks. He has 80 games of playoff experience and averaged 10.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists across 63 games last season.
Russell heads to Memphis
Russell was drafted second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015 and has since played for the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Mavericks and Wizards. He joined Washington in February as part of a three-team deal involving the Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets but never took the court for the Wizards. He picked up his $6 million player option on June 19 before being traded again.
