The Washington Wizards walked out of Monday night’s 110-103 loss to the Charlotte Hornets with a familiar problem staring them in the face: the bench was a mess, and Khris Middleton was right in the middle of it.
Middleton finished as a team-worst minus-17 in 13 minutes. He didn’t score, pulled down one rebound and committed one turnover. Anthony Davis did the heavy lifting to keep Washington in the game, but Middleton’s night underscored what has become a troubling start to the season.
Brian Keefe already showed he’s willing to sit him. Middleton was a DNP-CD in the win over the Bulls, and Keefe brushed off the choice to play Will Riley instead on the second night of a back-to-back.
Against Charlotte, Middleton got back on the floor and logged more minutes than Riley. But if Keefe believes in the team’s depth, the next step feels obvious: Middleton should be out of the rotation.
The 6’7 wing has been trending down for more than five years now. Once a three-time All-Star and the second-leading scorer on a championship team, Middleton used to be the kind of player who could give you 20 points without making you blink.
That version is gone. Right now, he isn’t scoring, and he isn’t moving the needle in any meaningful way.
The numbers through three games make the case even louder. Middleton has hit just two of six shots in 41 minutes this season.
He has eight points, five rebounds, two steals and three turnovers. He still hasn’t made a 3-pointer, and Washington badly needs floor spacing.
Instead, he’s offered very little of it.
The on-court impact has been ugly. Washington has posted a negative-23.8 net rating with Middleton in the game.
Its 131.8 defensive rating with him on the floor would be more than 10 points worse than the Wizards’ league-worst mark from last season. The offense hasn’t held up either, sitting at 108.0, a number that would have ranked dead last a year ago as well.
Keefe is still sorting through combinations and trying to find what works. Middleton, though, hasn’t fit any of them.
He is competing and trying to make the right reads, but the burst just isn’t there. At 35, he looks like a player whose decline has finally caught up to him, and Washington can’t afford to wait around and hope the curve changes.
That urgency matters because the Wizards aren’t trying to drift through another season. They want back in the playoffs.
They haven’t qualified since 2021 and haven’t won a playoff series since 2017. The organization tanked to get AJ Dybantsa, but that phase is over.
The goal now is simple: get back into the postseason race.
Middleton can still serve a purpose in the room. He’s a championship veteran, a mentor, and a steady voice for a young team.
But that doesn’t mean he needs a nightly role. Washington has enough young players who need real minutes, and Middleton is not giving them the shooting, scoring, or defensive value to justify regular usage next to any of the team’s stars.
Dybantsa has missed the first four games of his NBA career because of an ankle sprain, and when he returns, Middleton should slide even farther down the depth chart. Washington plans to stagger AD, Young and Dybantsa, and Middleton doesn’t bring enough to pair cleanly with any of them.
There are younger options that make more sense. Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Will Riley should all be absorbing the minutes Middleton is currently taking.
Justin Champagnie had been off to a strong start before suffering a foot injury against Charlotte, which only makes the need for other bench pieces more pressing. Keefe needs to trust the bench, and investing in the young group now could pay off later.
The rotation also has to account for how the stars are used. AD or Young needs to be on the floor at all times, and Washington still needs a backup ball-handler.
Until closer to the trade deadline, Kyshawn George may have to handle that job. Beyond that, Keefe should be chasing lineups that give the younger players the best chance to grow.
Johnson should be paired with Young so the guard can set him up. Riley has the tools to become a plus shooter and would benefit from that same kind of look. Carrington fits better as a floor spacer in AD minutes, even if that means reconsidering the double-big approach.
Middleton’s role has to shrink. He has been a negative in all three games so far, and the Wizards can’t keep pretending otherwise.
Keep him around as the veteran presence, sure. But as an every-night contributor?
That chapter looks finished.
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Wizards Get A First Real Glimpse Of Their Future In Cleveland
The Wizards head into Cleveland at 2-2, still early enough in the season that every rotation tweak feels like part of the evaluation process. One of those tweaks comes with Justin Champagnie sidelined by a right foot injury, leaving Washington a little thinner as it continues sorting out roles and looking for a steadier rhythm.
More importantly for the franchises bigger picture, AJ Dybantsa is expected to take the floor and give Washington its first real in-game look at the top pick from the recent draft. After sitting out the first four games, his debut adds another layer of intrigue to a trip that already carries some weight for a young roster trying to establish what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
AJ Dybantsa Puts Wizards Spotlight Squarely On Cavs Game
AJ Dybantsas next step is at least on the board for Washington, even if it is far from certain. The Wizards rookie is listed as questionable for the upcoming matchup with the Cavaliers after sitting out the first four games of the season, leaving the club to keep one eye on his status as tipoff gets closer.
The injury traces back to the preseason, when Dybantsa went down with a left ankle sprain and has yet to make his regular-season debut. Washington has not said whether he will be available against Cleveland, so his condition will be monitored closely before the game. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Face Two Pressure Points In A Big Rocket Arena Test
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For Washington, the frontcourt piece is especially worth watching because Anthony Davis is available and still settling into his role after the deadline deal that brought him to the Wizards last season. Cleveland has its own interior test waiting in Evan Mobley, who has been productive early and has the kind of game that can tilt the night if he gets rolling again. Pair that with Trae Youngs strong start to the season in the broader conversation around the East, and this one has enough star power to feel bigger than a midweek stop on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]