RealGM Basketball Wiretap

28 March 2025

• Khris Middleton To Undergo MRI On Injured Knee

  Washington Wizards wing Khris Middleton was forced to leave Thursday's game at halftime due to right knee soreness. Following the game, the Wizards head coach Brian Keefe announced that Middleton would undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

  Washington acquired Middleton at the trade deadline in a swap that sent Kyle Kuzma to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Wizards were acquiring the veteran wing in a contract shedding move by the Bucks, as much as a talent addition.

  Middleton has a $33.3 million player option for the 2025-26 season, which he is widely expected to pick up. In 37 combined games this season between the Bucks and Wizards, the 32-year-old veteran has averaged 11.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.

• Corey Kispert Out For Season After Surgery On Left Thumb

  Corey Kispert underwent a successful surgical procedure on Tuesday in New York City to repair a ligament tear to his left thumb. The injury was sustained in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets on March 15.

  Kispert is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the start of next season.

  Kispert finishes his fourth NBA season with averages of 11.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 26.3 minutes over 61 games with the Washington Wizards. Kispert shot 36.4 percent on 5.4 three-pointers per game.

• Bilal Coulibaly Out 4-6 Weeks With Right Hamstring Injury

  Bilal Coulibaly will be out approximately four-to-six weeks following a right hamstring injury sustained in the first quarter against the Toronto Raptors on March 10. The injury will be treated conservatively and Coulibaly's recovery status will be updated as appropriate.

  Coulibaly will likely finish his second season with averages of 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals in 33.0 minutes over 59 games. Coulibaly also had PER of 10.7.

• Wizards' Adam Caporn Named Head Coach Of Basketball Australia

  Adam Caporn has been name head coach of Basketball Australia. Caporn will continue in his current role as assistant coach with the Washington Wizards.

  "It is an incredible honor to continue to be part of the Boomers program. Thank you to the Washington Wizards organization for their support," said Caporn. "I am deeply grateful to Basketball Australia for their trust in me and to the entire Australian basketball community for the invaluable experiences and opportunities I've had from grassroots development to the Olympic stage. I'm excited to get to work, building a team that will represent Australia with pride and continue to strengthen the Boomers' great legacy and culture."

  Caporn becomes the 12th coach selected in Boomer's history and arrives as the successor to legendary figure Brian Goorjian, who departed following the Paris 2024 campaign in August last year.

• Wizards Claim JT Thor Off Waivers

  The Washington Wizards have claimed forward JT Thor off waivers. Thor comes to Washington on a Two-Way contract.

  Thor (6-9, 215) is in his fourth NBA season out of Auburn, having appeared in 174 career games with the Charlotte Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers. Thor was originally selected with the 37th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and holds career averages of 3.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.

  Thor has also appeared in 46 career games in the NBA G League with the Greensboro Swarm and Cleveland Charge, averaging 14.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. In 24 games with the Charge this season, he averaged 14.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game.

• Wizards Gave 'Real Consideration' To Trading For Bradley Beal At Deadline

  The Washington Wizards gave "real consideration" to trading for Bradley Beal at this year's deadline, sources told Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

  Stein adds that there is no indication that Beal would have waived his no-trade clause to return to Washington.

  It was reported last month that the Wizards and Hawks were the only two teams willing to acquire Beal.

  Beal is also reportedly hesitant to uproot his family by getting traded.

  Beal has two more seasons left on his deal at just under $111 million.

• Wizards, Justin Champagnie Finalizing Four-Year, $10M Contract

  The Washington Wizards are set to sign Justin Champagnie to a four-year, $10 million contract, sources told Shams Charania of ESPN.

  Champagnie will earn $1.6 million for the final six weeks of the season.

  The 23-year-old is averaging 7.5 points and 4.6 rebounds on the year.

• Khris Middleton: My Time With Bucks Could Have Run Out A Long Time Ago

  Khris Middleton believes he was on a path to increase his minutes for the Milwaukee Bucks by the playoffs, but he was understanding of their decision to trade him in a package for Kyle Kuzma.

  "I've had many opportunities," said Middleton. "That's the way I've kind of looked at it. My time ran out. Simple as that. I mean, I could say my time could have ran out a long time ago. They held onto me, believed in the potential, believed in the work that they saw. But I think this time, it was just we think a different route is better for our team going forward. And I can't do nothing but respect that.

  "They leaned on me in a lot of different ways. Giannis [Antetokounmpo] goes down? They counted on me to take them to the next round. Things like that. Giannis is in and out or we need a big shot or we need whatever, they counted on me many times. And I guess they couldn't count on me.

  "As a player and as a person, I mean, I can't control their opinions and beliefs on me. I can only control what I think of myself. I definitely think I'm still that player. I can still be that player. Yes, it may take a little bit of time, but I think ultimately I can. But they didn't think that, and they gotta do what's best for them."

• Wizards Sign Jalen McDaniels To 10-Day Contract, Waive Erik Stevenson

  The Washington Wizards and forward Jalen McDaniels have agreed to a 10 Day contract. McDaniels has been playing for the Wizards G League affiliate the Capital City Go-Go this season.

  In 26 games with the Go-Go, McDaniels has averaged 12.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.

  McDaniels was waived ahead of the season after a salary-shedding trade from the Sacramento Kings to the San Antonio Spurs. The Toronto Raptors had traded McDaniels earlier in the offseason. McDaniels has played for the Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers, in addition to the Raptors.

  In a related move, the Wizards have waived Erik Stevenson.

• Wizards Sign Erik Stevenson To 10-Day Contract, Waive Jaylen Nowell

  The Washington Wizards they have signed guard Erik Stevenson to a 10-day contract. In a related move, Washington released guard Jaylen Nowell from his 10-day contract.

  Stevenson (6-4, 205) is a 25-year-old guard in his second professional season out of West Virginia. He took part in training camp with San Antonio in 2023 and Washington in 2024, before playing with each team's NBA G League team. Stevenson also played in three games for Washington during 2024 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

  In 32 games this season, Stevenson is averaging 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game with the Capital City Go-Go. He currently ranks third in points per game off the bench for the full NBA G League season (min. 10 games) and has scored 20+ points 15 times. He was selected to the G League Up Next game on Feb. 7.