NBA Rumors: Insider drops big intel on Khris Middleton’s future with Bucks
By Dalton Sell
The most significant priority for the Milwaukee Bucks this off-season will be retaining two of their key pieces in Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, who are both eligible to hit NBA free agency.
It’s no secret that the Bucks would love to keep both, and a new report confirms that Middleton is believed to be sticking around. Per Yahoo Sport’s NBA insider Jake Fischer, there is a belief among a slew of executives that Middleton will stay with Milwaukee on a brand new long-term deal.
NBA Rumors: Insider drops big intel on Khris Middleton’s future with Bucks
While some want to see the front office usher in a new era of MKE basketball and cut ties with a handful of their veterans to get younger, that is far easier said than done. If the Bucks were to let Middleton go for nothing, it would be an absolute disaster, given how limited their asset stash is to improve the roster. A sign and trade is quite unlikely, and even then, it’s hard to imagine the Bucks getting anything substantial in return, as sign and trades often highlight. Keeping Middleton on a new deal is the ideal move here for Milwaukee.
Despite an injury that limited him for much of the season, Middleton showed that he could still be a high-level player when healthy. While he was not perfect, he was among the few Bucks who did not melt completely in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. If Middleton has a legitimate off-season without a surgery to hinder him, he could be back to his true form by the start of the 2023 NBA season.
In all likelihood, the Bucks will be paying 31-year-old Khris Middleton a hefty salary, but it will be interesting to see how much and for how many years. On top of that, the team will also have to try and lock up Brook Lopez, as plenty of other teams would certainly love to get their hands on him. However, it would not be surprising if both Middleton and Lopez are still in Bucks jerseys by the time next season begins. It will not be cheap, but that’s the price of contention in today’s NBA.
dark. Next. Assessing Bleacher Report’s foul Kenrich Williams trade for the Bucks
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis and rumors this off-season.