The NBA trade deadline is looming, and that means some big changes for the Milwaukee Bucks. On Wednesday morning, NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Bucks are trading forward Khris Middleton along with guard AJ Johnson to the Washington Wizards in a deal that brings Kyle Kuzma and former UWM player Patrick Baldwin Jr. to the Bucks. 

Middleton was part of the 2020-21 championship team, and a big part of Milwaukee’s core big three alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. He was also the last remaining player from Giannis’ rookie season, in which the Bucks won a franchise-worst 15 games. Injuries, however, plagued Middleton the past couple of years, making him a valuable trade asset for Milwaukee when packaged with Johnson, who has seen considerable minutes as of late.

In return, the Bucks welcome Kyle Kuzma, a small forward in his eighth season in the league. Drafted by the Lakers in 2017, Kuzma is already an NBA champion from the 2019-20 season in the bubble, and a solid offensive producer. The Bucks also acquire former UWM Panther Patrick Baldwin Jr., a forward in his third season in the league. Baldwin was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2022, and was only averaging just under five minutes per game this season in Washington. The Bucks will also receive a second round draft pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

While not as big of a blockbuster as the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade that rocked the NBA earlier this week, it’s certainly a big move for the Bucks as they make a push to the top of the Eastern Conference in the second half of the 2024-25 season. What do you think of the new-look big three for the rest of the season?