Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton made a decision on Monday that was a no-brainer. The former champion with the Milwaukee Bucks signed a 3-year, $93 million deal with a player option with the Bucks in 2023 and will play out his final season of the contract after picking up his option with the Wizards. The former champion will earn $33.3 million this season for a team that lacks a clear identity.

Middleton is a veteran who has dealt with nagging injuries for part of his career. Taking the option and staying with the team was smart for his future. The Wizards have a different plan for the future, but they understood that taking on his contract was a part of the trade that sent Kyle Kuzma to the Bucks for Middleton. Unless the Wizards make a huge jump in their progression, staying with the Wizards does not make a lot of sense for his career. We could see him take his talents to a contender after next season, unless he is traded before that.

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The 33-year-old still brings a lot to the table. He averaged 11.9 points per game on 47.5% shooting in somewhat of a lost season. Those were his lowest numbers since his rookie season with the Detroit Pistons. He has averaged at least 15 points per game since 2017.

The Wizards roster contains a few veterans like Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon, both of whom have had a lot of success in the NBA. Smart won a Defensive Player of the Year award with the Boston Celtics, and then a season later, Brogdon won Sixth Man of the Year with the Celtics. Now, both are in Washington, helping to try and turn things around. Jordan Poole and Alexandre Sarr are the future, and then the 2025 NBA Draft is on Wednesday, where the Wizards will have the 6th overall pick.