Khris Middleton is increasingly viewed around the league as a likely buyout candidate as the Washington Wizards approach the trade deadline with limited incentive to move his contract.
According to reporting from Josh Robbins of The Athletic, league executives widely expect the veteran forward to remain in Washington through the deadline before potentially negotiating a buyout later in the season.
Robbins reported that while Middleton has shown modest improvement in recent weeks, most league sources do not see him as a player who materially shifts outcomes for a contending team at this stage of his career.
Middleton is in the final season of a three-year, $93 million contract, a factor that has limited Washington’s ability to generate meaningful trade interest without attaching additional assets.
The 34-year-old has appeared in 29 games for Washington Wizards during the 2025–26 season, averaging 9.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 24.3 minutes per game.
His shooting efficiency has been serviceable but unspectacular, with a 42.9 percent mark from the field and 32.5 percent from three-point range, numbers that reflect a reduced offensive role.
Washington currently sits near the bottom of the Eastern Conference at 10–32, firmly in a developmental phase centered on younger core pieces such as Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, and Bub Carrington.
