NBA Notes: Wizards, Khris Middleton, Sixers, Anfernee Simons, Nets

Wizards

Khris Middleton is headed back to Washington.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the veteran forward has agreed to a three-year, $17.6 million contract that will send him to the Wizards in a sign-and-trade with the Mavericks.

The deal will be folded into a massive six-team transaction involving the Wizards, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Bucks, Clippers and Pistons.

As part of the trade, Washington is also sending veteran guard D’Angelo Russell to Memphis along with future second-round draft compensation, Charania reported.

Middleton, a three-time All-Star, averaged 10.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists while splitting last season between Washington and Dallas.

According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, only the first year of Middleton’s new contract is fully guaranteed.

Sixers

The Sixers believe Anfernee Simons can do more than provide instant offense off the bench.

Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice wrote that Simons gives Philadelphia another proven perimeter scorer and one of the NBA’s better three-point shooters behind Tyrese Maxey.

Simons also addressed concerns about the Sixers’ smaller backcourt.

“When a team has a common goal of competing on that side of the ball and stays connected, I think a lot of those things can be mitigated,” Simons said, via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. “That’s one of the things I learned instantly when I came to Boston. The intensity defensively has to be higher.”

Nets

Mikel Brown Jr. didn’t waste much time making an impression.

The sixth overall pick scored 10 of his points in the fourth quarter and handed out four assists in his Summer League debut, prompting praise from Brooklyn’s coaching staff.

“He’s electric. He showed his ability to get downhill,” Summer League coach Dutch Gaitley said, according to C.J. Holmes of the New York Daily News.

It’s only one Summer League game.

Still, Brown gave the Nets another reason to be excited about one of the centerpieces of their rebuilding effort.

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