The Phoenix Suns have been quite active this summer, managing to retool their roster around Devin Booker. They traded Kevin Durant and bought out Bradley Beal. While some experts around the league might think that the Suns will take it slowly, their owner, Mat Ishbia, has a different idea. The Suns have been in talks with the Golden State Warriors about trading for Jonathan Kuminga. But if they fail to do so, it looks like they may have an All-Star alternative for the next season.
The Suns Have an All-Star Alternative If They Fail to Get Kuminga
After trading away Durant and waiving Beal, the Suns have a surplus of guards and centers. Yet, they do not have many quality wings, which is why they are showing interest in nabbing Kuminga. Getting Kuminga would be great, as he is a young wing who can grow alongside Booker. However, if they fail to secure him, they may explore alternative routes to remain competitive for the 2025-26 season. According to the latest betting odds, the Phoenix Suns are the favorites to land Khris Middleton.
The former All-Star and champion is stuck on the Washington Wizards, a team that has no intention of competing anytime soon. This opens up a possibility for the Suns to swoop in and get him. According to Bovada, the Suns have the best odds at +300, followed by the Detroit Pistons at +600, the Los Angeles Lakers at +600, the Miami Heat at +800, and the Denver Nuggets at +900. The Milwaukee Bucks, the team where he won the title, have tied for the sixth-best odds to get him.
The Phoenix Suns are the favorites to be Khris Middleton’s next team, per @BovadaOfficial
Phoenix Suns +300
Detroit Pistons +600
Los Angeles Lakers +600
Miami Heat +800
Denver Nuggets +900
LA Clippers +1400
Milwaukee Bucks +1400
New York Knicks +1400
San Antonio Spurs +1600 pic.twitter.com/VeqcU7RA8q— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 31, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Why Might the Wizards Trade Middleton?
The Wizards are going through a rebuild, and they need to play their young guys. Middleton and CJ McCollum are the two veterans on the roster. But we saw recently how Marcus Smart secured a buyout, and then signed with the Lakers.
If Middleton wants to play for a contender, that is the path. He has an expiring salary at $33.3 million, making it hard for teams on the other side to trade players that they do not need, and the Wizards would want. For example, the Suns would have to include players like Dillon Brooks and Royce O’Neal to make salaries match. But they have longer contracts, and would eat into the playing time for the young players on the Wizards.
Do the Suns Need Middleton?
Absolutely. Right now, the Suns have wings like O’Neale, Oso Ighodaro, Ryan Dunn, Brooks, and Nigel Hayes-Davis on their roster. None of them is an All-Star or close to an All-Star player. That is why the Suns are trying to get either a young potential star like Kuminga, or a proven veteran like Middleton, as an alternative. They cannot afford to trade for him, but if he secures a buyout, Middleton would be a great addition to the Suns’ roster.
Can Middleton Help a Team?
Middleton appeared in 37 games last season for two teams, the Bucks and the Wizards. He averaged 11.9 points for the season on 47.5% shooting from the floor and 36.1% from behind the arc. Health is the biggest risk factor with Middleton. But getting him on a buyout makes that risk easier to accept. The last time he played 60+ games was during the 2021-22 season. While he is still only 33 years old (turns 34 on August 12), injuries have derailed his career.
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