Khris Middleton and Marcus Smart both joined the Washington Wizards ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

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At the time, both appeared to be salary fillers as the Wizards looked to move on from Kyle Kuzma while also adding a 2025 first-round pick in a three-team deal.

On Friday, Feb. 21, Middleton and Smart made their debuts. As the two veterans patrolled the court, it quickly became clear that neither was a throw-in during trade discussions. Instead, both veterans have the potential to be important contributors to Washington’s rebuilding process.

Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr and Jordan Poole are the future of the Wizards franchise. The trio of younger talents have undeniable upside and can all take their games to new heights in the coming years.

The core concept of developing young talent in the NBA is ensuring they have enough playing time to continue honing their skills against the best players in the world. Of course, there also needs to be enough leeway to allow the young talent to play through their mistakes.

However, having the correct veterans on the roster is just as necessary. Smart is a former Defensive Player of the Year.

He’s led a team that made multiple deep playoff runs, including a trip to the 2022 NBA Finals. Middleton is an NBA champion who is known for his professionalism.

“You get to come in to a rebuild where they’re looking for that help and looking for that advice and experience,” Smart told reporters shortly after being traded to the Wizards. “I’m the one who can come in and help with that.”

Smart’s contract expires in another year, and Middleton has a player option for next season. Regardless of how long the two veterans remain on the Wizards’ roster, their impact will be felt for years to come. Their new roles stretch far beyond the hardwood.

Wizards' rebuilding plan is starting to make sense

They’re veteran leaders of a young rebuilding team. That means both Smart and Middleton can help establish an identity and ethos among the future core.

Washington’s front office knew what it was doing at the trade deadline. Smart and Middleton will ensure the team remains competitive (but not too competitive) in the short term while establishing a culture and identity in the locker room.

In terms of rebuilding, both moves can be seen as wins, especially if Sarr or Coulibaly take these lessons and become All-Stars soon.