When Taurean Prince signed with the Milwaukee Bucks as a free agent, he knew he was coming in to be the backup to Khris Middleton. Well, that was the original plan at least.
Now 12 games into his Bucks tenure, Prince has not come off the bench once. With Middleton on the recovery trail after dual ankle surgeries this past offseason, Taurean Prince has filled in at the starting small forward spot in every game - and done quite well. Initially, Middleton was expected to be ready for the season opener, but clearly, things are taking much longer than expected.
It's unclear exactly what is limiting Middleton at this point, as the Bucks have always been secretive in terms of what they will disclose on injuries. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania offered a new tidbit on Middleton's current status, and it's not what Milwaukee Bucks fans want to hear.
"The big worry in Milwaukee is Khris Middleton ... He has not even progressed to 5-on-5 yet. They are not sure exactly when he's going to go to 5-on-5. His absence, essentially, has been much longer than team officials have anticipated."
Taurean Prince must continue to give the Bucks a jolt at small forward
While he and Middleton are far different players, Prince has done a nice job filling in at small forward. On the year, he's averaging 8.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and two assists while shooting 53.2 percent on his 3-pointers, the second-best percentage on the team. Furthermore, he's also found himself on the receiving end of some tough defensive assignments, matching up with prominent names often.
For a player on a minimum contract, the Milwaukee Bucks are asking a lot of Taurean Prince, and he's delivered thus far. With Middleton's recovery taking longer than expected and no timetable for him to hit the hardwood in sight, the team will continue to lean on Prince heavily. As long as it helps the team win basketball games, he is up for whatever challenge the team assigns him.
As he plays this extended role, Prince is also showing the basketball world what he can do when given prominent minutes. It's still far too early to start thinking about NBA Free Agency, but the forward is in a contract year, and this type of responsibility and production could see him earn a nice raise in the summer if he keeps it up. For now, he just wants to help the Milwaukee Bucks win.
Expect Taurean Prince to remain Milwaukee's starting small forward for the time being, and let's hope that Khris Middleton can make progress in his recovery soon; this team needs him in the fold.
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