When the Milwaukee Bucks decided to trade Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kyle Kuzma and a second-round pick, it was a confusing decision. Mainly because Middleton was one of the best friends of Giannis Antetokounmpo. But also because Kuzma was one of the most inefficient players in the NBA at the time.
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To be fair, Middleton was not healthy for a large portion of the season. The Bucks felt that they needed to find a more reliable player to depend on for the playoffs. So, they acquired a player who they thought was a similar caliber and a bit younger.
However, what Milwaukee failed to account for when making the trade was how much potential impact it would have on Giannis’ psyche. He’s seemed to be in a contentious state with the front office ever since the deal. Closely monitoring the team’s moves as he decides on a future with the team in the coming years. It probably wasn’t a good idea to trade away his best friend amid that decision.
Recently on Instagram, Bucks fans caught Giannis reminiscing about Middleton.
“I MISS KHRIS MIDDLETON,” the poster wrote on Instagram.
“Me and you both,” Giannis commented.
The two of them were teammates for 12 years. Middleton came into the league in the 2012 Draft class, and Giannis was in the 2013 class. They both were unproven with a lot of raw talent and had to grind to get better. Throughout that grind, they created a great friendship.
Giannis on Instagram pic.twitter.com/1dXHCCTVZS
— BucksRealm (@BucksRealm) July 26, 2025
Back when Middleton was traded, Giannis said he felt weird. Almost as though nobody cared that he was gone as much as he did.
“Just thinking he’s not on the roster, he’s not on the team no more, it was definitely a weird feeling for me because l’ve never played an NBA game without Khris being on the roster… I don’t know if anybody in the organization got as emotional as I did because I was probably the closest guy to him,” Giannis told Bucks reporter Eric Nehm at the time.
By the end of those statements, the Greek Freak acknowledged that it’s still a business, and he knows he gets paid a lot to do what he does. He just seemingly couldn’t get over the thought of not playing with Middleton. After all, the two were inseparable for quite some time.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had not been asked about Khris Middleton being traded since we asked him 30 minutes after news broke.
Here were his extended thoughts on what it has been like without Khris Middleton on his roster for the first time in his career: pic.twitter.com/yVXiuQYVxY
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) February 19, 2025
Reportedly, there was even a Middleton for Jimmy Butler trade on the table. But Giannis vehemently denied that the team should make the deal.
“Nah, we’re not doing that,” Giannis said via SiriusXM NBA Radio.
It goes to show how much he believed in and depended on Middleton. The deal is a no-brainer to most when you look back on it, especially considering both players’ skill levels now. Yet, Middleton and Giannis had a chemistry that he didn’t want to mess with. And it eventually paid off with an NBA title in 2021.
In the end, it’s understandable why Giannis commented on the post. It may have seemed controversial at first, but he’s remained constant about his feelings on the Middleton trade. We’ll see if it potentially impacts his decision to remain with the team in the future.
