Bucks Could Move First Round Pick, Khris Middleton Before Trade Deadline: Report

Matt Levine | 3 Hours Ago

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks have battled back from a poor start to the new NBA season. It wasn't easy but the team came together and found their footing as a unit.

Milwaukee still has a ways to go until they can be content with their performance but it seems that the belief in this group paid off. While they were losing games, there was a ton of speculation that the Bucks would need to make a drastic change to the roster.

Both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were talked about in potential deals but Milwaukee kept calm. The team had an internal belief that they would turn things around and so far, they have done just that.

But there was some thought about the team also trading star forward Khris Middleton, who has yet to suit up for the team due to injury. Now with a new report, Middleton could also possibly be on his way out before the trade deadline.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Milwaukee could contemplate putting together a deal with their 2031 first-round draft pick to land someone on the trade market. The team could also include a veteran player to help things out salary wise, including Middleton.

"The new plot twist executives around the league are monitoring closely is if Horst would consider moving Milwaukee’s 2031 first-round pick to move the needle on the trade market with the salaries of Portis, Connaughton, and even the possibility of Middleton, who’s owed $31.67 million this season and has a $34 million player option next season."

The Bucks don't have very many assets to work with, at least draft capital-wise. Trading away the 2031 pick would be a risk but this team is fully in win-now mode.

Middleton has been a crucial part of the Bucks for years, helping them win the NBA title in 2021. But he has an injury history and could enter into free agency at the end of this season.

Milwaukee would be wise to at least see what they could get for him on the open market before the year ends. It remains to be seen how Milwaukee goes about the trade deadline but it feels like they want to improve one way or another.

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