76ers Rival Contender Dealing With Notable Injury Concern Before Camp

A Philadelphia 76ers rival has a notable injury concern.

Oct 26, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) holds the ball away from Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Looking at the group of expected rival contenders in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers see a handful of teams who are relatively healthy heading into training camp. The Milwaukee Bucks are a team that has some concerns, though.

According to NBA Insider Chris Haynes, Bucks veteran Khris Middleton is still waiting to be cleared for full-court, five-on-five action for training camp this offseason. Over the offseason, Middleton has been recovering from surgical procedures on his ankles.

The Insider noted that Middleton is “progressing nicely,” but the Bucks are taking caution. Currently, his timeline for clearance is not revealed.

The Sixers anticipate the Bucks remaining one of the top teams in the playoff picture for next season. Last year, Milwaukee finished the season with a 49-33 record. They were one game back from the second seed and nearly landed in a first-round series against the Sixers.

Instead, Philadelphia faced the New York Knicks and found themselves eliminated in six games.

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Milwaukee struggled in the postseason as well. Despite landing the higher seed than their first-round opponent, the Bucks dropped out of the playoffs with a 4-2 series loss against the Indiana Pacers.

Over the last two seasons, Middleton dealt with injury concerns. During the 2022-2023 run, he appeared in just 33 games. Last season, Middleton saw the court for 55 games. He averaged 15 points on 38 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Milwaukee has a lot of unanswered questions going into a critical year. Can the Damian Lillard-Giannis Antetokounmpo duo work better? Will Doc Rivers prove to be the long-term choice as head coach? Can Middleton stay healthy after returning?

While the Bucks’ offense will revolve around Lillard and Antetokounmpo, Middlton’s production as a star supporting player was critical for Milwaukee’s successful championship run in 2020-2021. If he’s able to hold up in the health department, the Bucks might be an even more significant threat to the 76ers next year.