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Khris Middleton is returning to the Washington Wizards on a three-year, $17.6 million contract, agreed via sign-and-trade with the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. Agent Mike Lindeman of Excel Sports Management confirmed the deal to ESPN's Shams Charania, sending the 14-year veteran back to D.C. for a second stint less than five months after he was dealt away.

The move is not a standalone transaction. It's the centerpiece of a sprawling six-team swap that also touches the Detroit Pistons , Memphis Grizzlies , Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks, reshuffling roster pieces across the league in a single coordinated exchange.

Khris Middleton returns to Washington Wizards

Khris Middleton, 34, spent parts of two seasons in Washington after arriving from Milwaukee at the 2025 deadline before being flipped to Dallas this past February as part of the trade that brought Anthony Davis to the Wizards. He averaged 10.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists across 63 games last season split between the two teams.


His agent described the move as a return to a locker room where Middleton had already built a "leader with championship presence" reputation, a nod to his history of winning a title with Milwaukee in 2021.

The six-team trade deal explained


The Wizards are sending D'Angelo Russell, a future second-round pick, and a second-round pick swap to the Grizzlies to help facilitate the deal. Elsewhere in the transaction, the Pistons are acquiring John Collins from the Clippers on a reported three-year, $51 million contract, while Memphis is set to receive Isaiah Stewart from Detroit.



Dallas gets Santi Aldama from the Grizzlies and opens a $5.6 million trade exception in the process. The Bucks land Caris LeVert from Detroit, with the Pistons getting Taurean Prince and Gary Harris plus two second-round picks in return.

What Middleton and Collins bring to their new teams

Middleton's peak came alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, when he served as Milwaukee's second-leading scorer during the 2020-21 title run and lifted his production to nearly 24 points a game in the playoffs. He's no longer that player at 34, but his career playoff averages of 20.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists across 80 games suggest he can still raise his level when it matters, even in a diminished role behind Young and Davis. Collins, meanwhile, gives Detroit a frontcourt scorer to pair with Jalen Duren after averaging 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds last season on 55.2% shooting.

None of the six franchises involved landed a superstar in the swap, but the trade reshapes rotations from Washington to Milwaukee heading into training camp. For the Wizards, the question now is whether a roster built around Young, Davis, rookie AJ Dybantsa and a returning Middleton can translate offseason additions into real progress in a crowded Eastern Conference.