At this time of year, sometimes a smaller trade — like the sign-and-trade of John Collins to Detroit — ends up growing into something else entirely, a much larger trade, as it makes financial sense for multiple teams to piggyback on an existing deal.
Enter Khris Middleton and D’Angelo Russell, as reported by Shams Charania of ESPN.
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Washington is essentially salary-dumping Russell to Washington (the Wizards get a pick out of it).
Middleton has agreed on a three-year, $17.6 million deal with the Wizards and will head there via sign-and-trade with Dallas. The second year of this deal is partially guaranteed, and the third year is non-guaranteed.
Both Russell and Middleton are now folded into a much more complex six-team trade that includes already agreed-upon trades, such as Collins from the Clippers to the Pistons. The six teams in the trade are Dallas, Washington, LA Clippers, Detroit, Milwaukee and Memphis. Here is how it shakes out, via Spotac’s Keith Smith.
Middleton will make $5.6 million next season, speculates John Hollinger of The Athletic, because at that number he and Deandre Ayton both still fit in the Kelly Olynyk trade exception Washington wants to use.
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Dallas will come out of all this with Santi Aldama, Marcus Sasser and a trade exception, which is a nice little bit of work.
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