Free agent veteran wing Khris Middleton has agreed on a three-year, $17.6 million deal with the Washington Wizards via a sign-and-trade with Dallas on Tuesday, agent Mike Lindeman of Excel Sports Management told ESPN's Shams Charania.
Middleton's return to Washington, where he spent portions of the last two seasons with Washington as a positive locker room presence with championship experience, is folded into an elaborate six-team trade between the Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies, LA Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Mavericks and Wizards, sources told Charania.
Washington sends D'Angelo Russell, a 2029 second rounder, a 2032 second-round swap and a 2033 second-round pick to Memphis. Dallas also includes a 2033 second-round pick with Middleton to Washington.
Also in the trade, Detroit sent Caris LeVert and two second-round picks to the Bucks for Taurean Prince and Gary Harris on Tuesday. That deal creates a trade exception for the Pistons as well as cap savings. All three players are on expiring deals.
Other moves that were previously agreed upon are also involved in the deal. Detroit sends Marcus Sasser to Dallas, Isaiah Stewart to Memphis and a protected 2028 second-round pick to the Clippers.
Memphis trades Santi Aldama and the draft rights to Tarik Biberovic to Dallas and three second-round picks (2029 second-most favorable of Detroit's, New York's and Milwaukee's, 2031 and 2032) to Detroit.
The Clippers trade John Collins to Detroit and cash to Milwaukee.
Dallas also trades AJ Johnson to Milwaukee and a 2030 conditional first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick to Memphis.
LeVert signed a two-year, $29 million deal with Detroit last offseason. He appeared in 60 games for the No. 1-seeded Pistons, averaging 7.4 points while shooting 41.7% from the field.
In Prince, the Pistons pick up a veteran spot-up shooter who has shot above 43% from 3 the last two seasons. Harris, a 12-year NBA veteran and Michigan State product, averaged just under 14 minutes for Milwaukee last season.
Middleton, 34, averaged 10.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 63 games last season. He was traded from the Wizards to the Mavericks as part of the Anthony Davis deal before the February deadline.
Middleton's 12-year tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks ended when he was traded to the Wizards at the 2025 deadline. He was a three-time All-Star in Milwaukee and co-starred alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo during the Bucks' run to the 2020-21 championship.
Middleton has 80 games of playoff experience and a history of increasing his production in the postseason. He has career averages of 20.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in playoff games, all of which are higher than his regular-season numbers.
Washington traded for Trae Young and Davis last season to elevate its young core to contend for a playoff spot this season. The Wizards have added more veteran experience and depth in trades for Deandre Ayton and Middleton this free agency.
