3 Bucks who must immediately step up to fill the Khris Middleton void

In news that many Milwaukee Bucks fans were hoping would not come, it was announced that the team would enter their 2024-25 NBA season opener short-handed.

ESPN insider Shams Charania has reported that Khris Middleton, who is rehabbing from duel ankle surgeries this offseason, would be sidelined for Milwaukee's regular season opener. After the forward missed the entire preseason, this should not be too surprising, but Doc Rivers initially provided some optimism that he would be ready to go. Now, that is not the case.

Of course, this is not how the often-injured Milwaukee Bucks wanted to start their season, but this is the hand they've been dealt. With Middleton sidelined for an undisclosed period of time, here are three players who must step up starting in their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Bobby Portis

With anywhere between 15 to 20 points per game now out of the lineup, someone will have to pick up the scoring load alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Though Middleton's absence will almost certainly not elevate him into the starting five, Bobby Portis is still a player who can pick up the slack in the scoring department as a member of the second unit.

Portis is coming off an excellent preseason campaign with the Milwaukee Bucks, having averaged an impressive line of 16.3 points, four rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 75 percent from the floor and 81.8 percent from deep in just 16.3 minutes per game. If he can carry this hot hand over into the NBA regular season, it would be a huge lift for Milwaukee in Middleton's absence.

There was plenty of offseason chatter about the Milwaukee Bucks possibly trading Bobby Portis, but he now has an opportunity to show his importance right out of the gates.