Late Wednesday morning, Milwaukee Bucks fans learned that the team was trading Khris Middleton to the Wizards for Kyle Kuzma. Now that move has an update, with further pieces involved–namely, the Knicks’ Jericho Sims.
The Bucks are sending Delon Wright and cash to the Knicks for Sims, sources said. https://t.co/0JjUYONkkP
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
This isn’t a flashy move by any of stretch of the imagination, but Sims does provide the center depth and vertical threat the Bucks were missing. Wright wasn’t doing much for them except warming the bench. Of course, Sims might not do a whole lot more than that either; how Doc Rivers employs him remains to be seen.
Perhaps more interestingly, one question his arrival sparks is whether the team got him as insurance in order to move Bobby Portis or Brook Lopez before the 3 PM deadline on Feb. 6.
Does Jericho Sims Trade Indicate Anything Further About Milwaukee Bucks’ Deadline Plans?
If GM Jon Horst does flip Portis or Lopez for something bigger–at this point what that would be is unclear–he would still need to get a big back in return, whether as part of that move or another one. What Sims provides is depth if said return doesn’t measure up to either of the two above.
At 6’10 he is also simply a body, a reasonable player to pencil in at center in the case of injury. Monday against the Thunder, Doc Rivers played 6’6 Chris Livingston at the five-spot due to sheer lack of options.
Although Sims has appeared in 39 games this season for the Knicks, he is averaging only 10.8 minutes and 1.6 PPG. He has never been more than a fringe backup, but even these numbers are career-lows for the fourth-year Minnesota native.
Unexciting as the deal is, fans responding to Charania’s tweet seemed to reach the consensus that Milwaukee had at least won the deal. So for whatever it’s worth, there’s that.
“League Shaking Move”
Many commenters were more interested in poking fun at the move after the last few days’ whirlwind of blockbusters and fraught rumors. Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, De’Aaron Fox, Zach Lavine and Jimmy Butler have all been traded. Even the Middleton-Kuzma trade may end up being bigger than it seems.
And then there’s moves like this. Fans had plenty of fun with it:
“THIS THE BIGGEST TRADE THIS SEASON OMG”
“Mind-blowing maneuver”
“The trade that will break the internet”
“Who is that,” joked another. Maybe they weren’t joking.
Credit: Getty Images
One user predicted that Portis will be gone tomorrow and honestly, it wouldn’t be all that surprising. If it was the last time Bucks fans see him in green and white, it was a good way to go out for Bobby Wednesday night against Charlotte after he missed 6 games due to personal reasons.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo a late scratch (left calf soreness), Portis accumulated 23 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in the 112-102 win. The 12-36 Hornets are an awful team, but having Portis back was a relief nonetheless. In his absence, Milwaukee stumbled to a 1-5 record for a variety reasons to which the team’s lack of size and depth contributed.
If Horst does deal him, he obviously needs to find a better replacement than Sims.
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