Bucks GM Admits Trading Khris Middleton Was Toughest Decision of His Career

Ricardo Klein | Feb 11, 2025

Jan 24, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst address the media after head coach Adrian Griffin (not pictured) was dismissed at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks didn't make a massive splash at the trade deadline, but they did have to make tough decisions. 

The Bucks traded away their long-time forward and champion, Khris Middleton. 

Trading away a fan favorite and champion like Middleton is never easy, even though, on the outside looking in, it was a move that needed to be made. 

Nonetheless, it was not easy, and the Bucks have expressed that, including general manager Jon Horst. 

Horst spoke to the media after things had calmed down and was blunt in his remarks, saying how tough it was to make the move. 

Horst told the media, including Eric Nehm of The Athletic. 

“It has to be the hardest thing transactionally that I’ve ever done, from the human side of it, the roster side of it, the culture of the team, our community,” Horst said. “I’m incredibly close with Khris personally, his family. I love them. I probably have more Middleton jerseys in my house than anything and will still have more Middleton jerseys in my house than anything. So not comfortable with it.”

The Bucks were busy at the deadline, making two moves that they believed would set them up for success this season but also for years to come. 

In a four-team deal, they sent out Middleton and AJ Johnson to the Washington Wizards and received Kyle Kuzma from Washington and Jericho Sims from the New York Knicks.

In another move just before the deadline, the Bucks sent third-year wing MarJon Beauchamp to the Los Angeles Clippers for Kevin Porter Jr., a 24-year-old guard in his fifth NBA season.

While that move was significant, none was bigger than shipping out Middleton to the Wizards.

The 33-year-old was a pillar of the team and community. In his Bucks career, he played a pivotal role, especially in the 2020-21 season, in which the Bucks won their second title in franchise history. 

Middleton averaged 17.1 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from three in 735 games and 31.1 minutes of action. 

The Bucks will miss Middleton. However, they needed to make moves in order to compete in the East, and moving on from him was the only reasonable option. 

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