Khris Middleton’s start in Washington is going about the complete opposite that not only he hoped it would go, but the way the Wizards hoped it would unfold too.
When Washington opted to land Middleton, the expectation was that the forward would use the fresh start to his advantage proving he had plenty left in the tank.
Obviously, the main motive behind the Wizards decision to acquire the veteran was to move on from Kyle Kuzma, who had increasingly become a distraction for the struggling team with his growing frustration throughout the Wizards struggles.
Nonetheless, the opportunity to bring in a seasoned vet with championship experience seemingly had a few positives tied to the move in its own right.
However, up to this point, those positives have seemingly been inexistent as the Wizards continue to find themselves stuck at the bottom of the NBA standings and Middleton’s inability to impact the team on the court.
In fact Middleton’s presence has been so minimal this season, NBA minds around the league are beginning to take note about how underwhelming he’s been to start the year.
Zach Lowe makes his stance on Khris Middleton clear
On a recent episode of The Zach Lowe Show, Zach Lowe made his stance on Middleton’s start to the season very clear.
When talking about the underwhelming impact of Wizards veterans CJ McCollum and Middleton on the season, Lowe further explained why the overwhelming stance on the 34-year-old forward hasn’t been too high to start the season.
“McCollum and Middleton have been frankly not very good.” Lowe said. “In Middleton’s case, looking very old and not playing half the games.”
It’s hard to combat Lowe’s stance on Middleton to start the season, especially considering the veteran’s inability to stay on the court and the fact that he’s been extremely inconsistent when he has been on the court.
Averaging 9.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2,5 assists in 24.9 minutes per game through 12 starts for the Wizards, it’s clear that the no teams will be knocking on the door for the Texas A&M product’s services anytime soon.
For the Wizards, the hope to free themselves from Middleton’s lucrative contract via a trade is decreasing by the day and with the forward’s lack of an impact on the roster, there’s no real point for Washington to keep him around beyond this season.
All that to say, don’t be surprised to see the Wizards explore every avenue to move on from Middleton, including a contract buyout at some point this season.
