No. 2 – Re-signing Khris Middleton
A lot of what was said about Brook Lopez can be said about Khris Middleton. The Bucks couldn’t have afforded to let him go, so it’s a sigh of relief that they were able to keep him. Middleton took a bit of a discount to stay around, having declined his player option to sign a three-year contract extension worth $93 million.
Though he’s coming off one of his least productive seasons – and one where he spent a lot of his time on the sidelines injured – Middleton is looking to bounce back big in 2023-24. Having had a knee procedure this past off-season, the big issue that hindered him last season should now be cleaned up, at least mostly. If so, the forward could be back to his old self this coming season.
When healthy, everyone knows what Middleton brings to the table. He’s an electric scorer from anywhere on the floor while also facilitating at a high level. Middleton will find himself in a new role this season as the clear-cut third option following a recent blockbuster trade. With a good amount of attention directed elsewhere, Middleton could thrive, fueling a bounce-back year.
In short, there was little doubt that Middleton would play elsewhere, but fans were still relieved when he inked that new deal to make it official.