As soon as he got traded to the Dallas Mavericks in the Anthony Davis blockbuster, Khris Middleton has been mentioned as a possible buyout candidate. Per insider Marc Stein (subscription required), Dallas is leaving it up to Middleton to decide whether he wants to stay put or seek greener pastures, and he must do so quickly.
Khris Middleton could be useful for several teams
For Middleton to be eligible for the NBA Playoffs, he must be waived before March 1. He still has time to decide what he wants to do, but that date is approaching quickly.
Even if he must surrender a little bit of salary, one would think that Middleton would be fine in doing so if it gave him a chance to contend. At 20-36, Dallas currently sits outside of the Play-In picture and is likely to miss the postseason. The chance to compete for a title likely means something to Middleton, especially if Dallas is willing to help him get there.
Even if Middleton isn't the former All-Star that he was with Milwaukee, he's still proving that he has fuel left in the tank. Over his last two games, he had an outing with 18 points and six rebounds, then followed it up with 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. That type of smooth scoring and ball-handling could be the missing piece for several teams on the hunt for forward depth.
Ironically, Milwaukee is one of those teams. With Taurean Prince injured for most of the season, there has been a noticeable lack of reliable small forward play in town. Ousmane Dieng has the potential to fill it, but Doc Rivers hasn't fully unleashed him yet. However, like Dallas, the Bucks are currently out of the Play-in picture and not a clear-cut contender, so switching teams might be a lateral move.
It's far more likely that Middleton would eye somewhere like Cleveland. With Max Strus injured and the team trading De'Andre Hunter at the deadline, they are lacking small forward depth as they embark on their playoff push, sitting fourth in the East. Acquiring Middleton could give them a proven winner who can take on secondary scoring and ball-handling duties from James Harden and Donovan Mitchell.
That's just one option, though, as plenty of teams would likely put in a bid to get who would become the best free agent available.
As Stein reported, the ball is in Khris Middleton's court. If he wants to stay, he will. If he wants to leave, he will have an opportunity to get back to winning.
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