"This isn't even an upgrade" - NBA fans mock Bucks for dangling Khris Middleton in trade talks for LeBron James' former teammate

The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to make some moves. With the trade deadline just two days away and the Bucks struggling to keep up with other powerhouses in the Eastern Conference, they're reportedly looking to move Khris Middleton to bolster their roster.

According to The Athletic's David Aldridge and Josh Robbins on Monday, Milwaukee has set its sights on Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma. The team would send Middleton plus draft capital to the nation's capital to get him.

However, some fans are not happy with the potential trade as they mocked and called out the Bucks for it.

"this isn't even an upgrade," a fan said.

"So The Bucks want to get worse?" one fan wrote.

"Went from Jimmy to Lavine to Kuzma," another fan wrote.

"BUCKS TRIPPEN," a fan commented.

"Sending Middleton to Washington after all he's done for them would be wild," another one commented.

"Middleton would retire before getting traded to the Lizards," one fan said.

While Milwaukee fans may not like the potential trade, Kuzma has championship experience from his days with the LA Lakers. This season, he is averaging 15.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Finances will play a role in the Bucks' trade deadline plans

The Milwaukee Bucks know they're not that far from championship contention. However, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic pointed out in his article on Monday, absorbing big salaries from a trade this season could have a massive long-term ripple effect to the team.

"The Bucks are currently $6,499,639 above the second apron," Nehm wrote. "If the Bucks are going to make a big splash with either a trade for a highly paid player or a smaller move, such as clearing Pat Connaughton’s contract from the team’s salary cap table, that single number will play a massive role in the move."

The new CBA includes steep penalties for teams going over the second apron, including freezing of a first-round pick after seven years.

The Bucks won't be able to trade that pick unless they finish below the second apron in three of the next four seasons. If they won't, it becomes permanently frozen, cannot be traded and automatically drops to No. 30 in that year's draft.

It would freeze their 2032 first-round pick until at least 2028. Those kinds of constraints will likely put a lot of pressure on the front office to figure out the best course of action before the deadline.