Khris Middleton was one of the names making his way to Dallas after the Washington Wizards traded him as part of the blockbuster Anthony Davis trade.
Middleton headed West along with AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, and Marvin Bagley III. Two first-round picks and three second-round picks completed the mammoth deal.
Dallas Mavericks Leave It to Khris Middleton To Decide on His Future
In his latest on The Stein Line, league insider Marc Stein shed light on the Mavericks’ plans for Middleton. The former Milwaukee Bucks mainstay was traded to the Wizards in 2025 ahead of the trade deadline for Kyle Kuzma.
“Dallas has essentially left it up to newly acquired Khris Middleton to decide if he wants to stay with his new team for the rest of the season or seek a buyout, league sources say,” Stein said.
“Middleton can still join a playoff-bound team if he is waived by March 1 (Sunday), but he could just opt to stay put and see where it leads. The 34-year-old scored 25 points in the Mavericks’ win Sunday at Indiana and, as has been conveyed to Middleton, Dallas will certainly still have a need for shooting next season.”
The veteran is on an expiring contract, making him a free agent at the end of the season. This brings the possibility that he could ink a deal with a contender. At this stage of his career, the forward is better suited to coming off the bench.
That said, Middleton could still be a good fit in Dallas even if he doesn’t fit in the timeline with the team looking to build around rookie sensation Cooper Flagg. While his experience and his two-way impact make him a starter this season, he is unlikely to make the starting five next season.
Despite the buzz surrounding his future in Dallas, Middleton has continued to show up and show out. He dropped a team-high 25 points along with seven rebounds and seven assists in the team’s 134-130 win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. It also marked the end of the Mavericks’ 10-game losing streak.
On the season front, Middleton is averaging 10.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 38 games so far. The scoring marks his lowest since his rookie year during the 2012-13 season.
At the time of writing, the season is pretty much a done chapter for the Mavericks. With a 20-36 record and 12th-place standing in the West, Dallas’ chances of making the playoffs look bleak. However, with Middleton looking to continue his good run, there might be a finish with a flourish in the offing.
