Khris Middleton makes a bold proclamation when he first meets the Washington Wizards.

NBA Rumors: Khris Middleton makes a bold proclamation when he first meets the Washington Wizards.

Since the previous season, the Washington Wizards (9-45) have depended on successful veterans to guide their youthful core, and Khris Middleton is one of the most recent instances. The former NBA champion, though, is not content to just serve as a mentor.

Following Wednesday night's practice, Middleton spoke candidly about his plans with the Wizards, according to Carita Parks of Bowie TV Sports.

"I'm here to play basketball." The 33-year-old stated, "I'm here to win games, and I'm here to help win games however I can." "I want Wizards fans to understand that I'm not just here to serve as a mentor, even though I will be here as such. I'm here to play basketball, compete, and assist in victories.

Just before the NBA trade deadline on February 5, the Milwaukee Bucks traded Middleton for Kyle Kuzma as part of a bigger transaction with Washington. Kuzma publicly lost patience with the Wizards' reconstruction, so the transaction made sense. In addition to a selection swap, the Wizards also acquired rookie guard AJ Johnson.

Even though Middleton is past his best, when healthy, he can still be a valuable player on the court. Throughout 23.2 minutes a game this season, the 6-foot-7, 222-pound player is averaging 12.6 points on 51.2 percent shooting, 4.4 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, he will make his Wizards debut on Friday night against the Bucks (30-24), despite having only played in 23 games due to injury.

Winning also boosts locker room morale, especially among the younger players, even though losing helps Washington land a high lottery choice in the next draft. Throughout its rebuild, the team will continue to maintain a delicate balance, but playing competitive ball on a regular basis can only be beneficial.

The important thing is to observe consistent progress, which Washington has done. After being winless in November, the Wizards are now 3-4 in February. Despite missing Middleton and Marcus Smart for each of those games, as well as Alex Sarr for a few, the losses have been close. With all three healthy and back in the lineup, expect the team to continue playing at its peak.

Khris Middleton believes that mentoring from the Wizards is reciprocal.

The foundation of Washington is undoubtedly young talent. While Kyshawn George is 21, Sarr (19), Bilal Coulibaly (20), Bub Carrington (19), and Johnson (20) are all under the legal drinking age. According to Bijan Todd of Monumental Sports Network, Middleton was impressed by their vigor.

Yes, vivacious young men. With AJ Johnson, we have the youngest player in the league, I believe, soThe Texas A&M graduate remarked, "I've been with him the entire season." "There are a lot of talented young players who are trying to figure [it] out every year, and it's definitely a reminder that the league is getting younger every year."

"I am in my thirteenth year... I've competed in the G League, been an Olympian, an All-Star, and a champion," he added.  So, over my career, I've gone through many various phases.  In addition to hoping they can assist me, I hope I can assist them.

 Expressing confidence in his leadership skills and resume is one thing, but it's quite another for Middleton to also seek out expertise from the younger players.  Coming from someone with his level of expertise, it may sound absurd, but it makes sense since, after 11-and-a-half seasons in Milwaukee, he must adjust to a new club.

It's only their system at the moment.  How they act and behave both on and off the court.  Regarding what the children can teach him, Middleton stated, "I'm just trying to get used to a different setting."  observing how the entire building functions and how they do practices.  It's interesting to watch as I haven't been in a new environment for a long time.

 I will say this: "You know they're fantastic.  You can tell that everyone is in agreement," he added.  I've seen this before, and everyone is attempting to construct that next level.  They're all acting appropriately, in my opinion, and their attitude is in point.

The organization's mission statement for this season might be summed up in the final section.  At the trade deadline, the Wizards couldn't have asked for a greater locker-room role model than Middleton, who demonstrates humility by being willing to learn from young players.

 The 2012 second-round selection also stressed the value of maintaining composure in the face of difficulty.

"I still have a lot to learn about them, but based on the few games I have watched so far and playing against them [the young core], they are talented," he remarked.  "I mean, it's obvious that the experience is lacking. They play a lot of games, and you can see that they occasionally falter or have periods where their inexperience is evident, and that's part of it.

 "They're just going through that stage right now, and I've been through it a lot," he added.  "The most crucial thing is to avoid being frustrated.  Simply continue to grow and learn from it.

 With a firm hand behind the wheel like Middleton's, it will undoubtedly be simpler to do this.