We are a little over 24 hours away from the 2025 NBA trade deadline, and plenty has happened already. Of course, the biggest story of the week came on Saturday evening when the Los Angeles Lakers stunned the world by trading for Luka Doncic, fleecing the Dallas Mavericks in the process. After this deal, the Lakers are now unbelievably set up for the next decade, and we may never know the real reason the Mavericks made this trade.
Other deals have been trickling in over the last several days, and while none of them are as notable as the Luka trade, some of them will have ramifications on the Lakers’ plan going forward, both for the current season and in years to come. The De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio trade significantly levels up the Spurs, making them a prime rival for the Lakers going forward yet again.
Then on Wednesday morning, the Milwaukee Bucks announced they were trading veteran wing Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kyle Kuzma. The full details of the trade are as follows: Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and a 2025 second-round pick to the Bucks, Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson and a 2028 first-round pick swap to the Wizards.
Kuzma likely doesn’t increase Milwaukee’s chance to win title this year
Now you might ask, how does two Eastern Conference teams trading with each other in any way affect the Lakers’ odds of winning a championship? Simple. By the younger Kuzma taking over for Middleton in Milwaukee, it is probably less likely the Bucks win a championship this year
