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Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton has yet to see the floor for his new team, but he can bring a lot to the table both on and off the court.
Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes laid out the impact Middleton can have after his trade from the Milwaukee Bucks, where he spent the last 12 years of his career.
"Middleton has little utility for the Washington Wizards on the floor but retains some as a veteran influence on the youth corps. His $34 million expiring salary (player option) next year could theoretically be flipped for another asset over the summer or at the 2026 deadline," Hughes writes.
"The 2028 swap rights Washington got in the deal are a pretty speculative asset, as the Bucks may not be worse in the 2027-28 season than the Wizards. Ditto for AJ Johnson, Milwaukee's first-rounder in the most recent draft who's had his moments in the G League but remains a long way from factoring in the NBA.
"Spin it just right, and you could argue the Wizards got the equivalent of two first-rounders for Kuzma—plus whatever value Middleton might bring back down the road."
So, while Middleton has temporary value as a veteran and former NBA champion, he doesn't quite do much for the long-term solution for the team. Therefore, the Wizards should play him as much as possible without compromising the real goal of developing the younger players, so that Washington could be able to trade him in the summer for even more value down the line.
The Wizards are back in action tonight as they take on the Indiana Pacers in their final game before the All-Star Break. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET from inside Capital One Arena. Fans can watch the game on Monumental Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.
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- Wizards Roster Now Features Four 2024 First-Rounders
- Wizards Trade Kyle Kuzma for Bucks’ Khris Middleton
- Alex Len, Waived By Wizards, Signs With Lakers
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Klay Thompson Reacts Angrily To Fan Asking About Megan Thee Stallion’s Former Partner
Klay Thompson's time in the offseason has been eventful. But with particular reference to his stay in New York City, the Dallas Mavericks guard has had myriad experiences with fans. After being followed around by a fan through the streets of the city a few days ago, Thompson had a comparatively unpleasant interaction recently. In a video posted on X, a fan can be seen asking Thompson to comment on his girlfriend Megan Thee Stallion's former partner, Tory Lanez. Needless to say, the guard wasn't inclined to comment on this and was visibly annoyed by the question as he said, "Bro, stay away from me. Get away from me." The fan was taken aback by Thompson's reaction. After interpreting the guard's response as hostile, he can be seen hanging back, while adding, "Why are you scared of me, bro?" In a whirlwind of public attention, Thompson's relationship with Megan Thee Stallion became one of the primary talking points of the offseason. From viral posts on social media to celebrities commenting on the relationship, the two have constantly been in the limelight. While this hasn't been a negative occurrence for the most part, it is quite clear that her past relationship with the rapper struck a nerve. This could also be attributed to the stories associated with the two, as sources claim that Lanez assaulted Megan after a pool party at Kylie Jenner's home in 2020. The two reportedly argued at the party. On the journey back, while Megan demanded to be let out of the car, Lanez opened fire, harming her in the process. The rapper was convicted of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and negligent discharge of the firearm, leading to a 10-year prison sentence. Reportedly obtained bodycam footage suggests that Lanez didn't intentionally fire the gun at Megan. But the supposedly new evidence isn’t enough to overturn the conviction. Given the broader context, it is easy to see why Thompson was bothered by the question. When considering the kind of media backlash and social media vitriol his partner has faced after the traumatic experience, especially with Lanez's fans demanding "justice" for him, the Mavs guard was well within his rights to be upset. Regardless, it appears that Thompson is protecting his peace at the moment. Given that he and Megan appear to be in a good place with regard to their relationship, he has every reason to take things at his own pace.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
‘In What World Does This Make Sense?????’: Oilers and $63M Forward
According to some, throw out the idea that the Edmonton Oilers should pursue Max Pacioretty. A veteran forward who has earned over $63 million over the course of his NHL career has yet to sign an NHL contract and was recently mentioned in a post by David Staples as a possible fit. In a recent post, the Journal noted, “All of the top NHL unrestricted free agents have already signed contracts, but there’s one big name player still available that makes good sense for the Edmonton Oilers to pursue.” Responses have been varied, with a few quite vocal about the Oilers not following Staples’ advice. “In what world does this make sense?????” writes a commenter on a recent post for The Hockey Writers. Another commenter wrote, “Pacioretty is a good journeyman player but he is injury prone now, late in his career. Oilers might be lucky to get 40 games out of him. They should look elsewhere instead of taking a chance on Patches.” Tyler Yaremchuk of Oilers Nation chimed in and said, “He scored five goals in 37 games last year with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Can’t stay healthy, very old, very slow.” Yaremchuk then went on a rant, listing several Oilers forwards who would be better than Pacioretty. What About Pacioretty on a PTO? Is there any reason that a team that is looking to get younger and faster, and move out depth pieces that were older and less productive than expected, would revert back to last summer’s strategy? It seems like an odd choice on the surface. Something would have to happen that would make giving Pacioretty a look risk-free. That means only a PTO. Even at that point, should he agree, it would require him to be willing to sign a two-way contract for the league minimum.
Athletics' Nick Kurtz makes MLB history vs. Astros
Athletics rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz already had an impressive start to his career. Kurtz entered Friday having posted a .288/.360/.622 batting line in 265 plate appearances, hitting 19 homers and 17 doubles. Despite making his major league debut on April 23, Kurtz has been the A's most valuable player, leading the team with 2.6 bWAR. He appeared to be on the cusp of becoming the superstar the A's needed to sell the team to the residents of Las Vegas. That performance set the stage for what may have been the most impressive game for any rookie in major league history. Kurtz became the 20th player in MLB history to have a four-home run game and the first rookie to achieve that feat. Kurtz's performance also put the 2025 season into baseball history. Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez had a four-home run game on April 26, making this the third time that there have been two four-homer games in a season. That had happened in 2002 (outfielders Mike Cameron and Shawn Green) and 2017 (utility man Scooter Gennett and left fielder J.D. Martinez). Kurtz did not stop with those four homers. He was 6-6 in the A's 15-3 victory over the Astros, with a double and eight runs batted in. The favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year award, Kurtz put an emphatic stamp on an already impressive season with his barrage on Friday.
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