Bucks Star Khris Middleton Takes 'Critical Step' in Injury Rehab

The three-time All-Star has yet to play for Milwaukee this season.

Sep 30, 2024; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks small forward Khris Middleton (22) gets ready for a photo shoot during Media Day at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Three-time Milwaukee Bucks All-Star small forward Khris Middleton has taken a "critical step" in his recovery from a pair of offseason ankle surgeries.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Middleton took part in a five-on-five workout for the first time this season on Monday. Milwaukee hopes Middleton will be back some time after Thanksgiving.

Charania appeared on ESPN's "NBA Today" to supply an update to host Malika Andrews.

Reporting for NBA Today on a critical step for Bucks star Khris Middleton in debut process: pic.twitter.com/0OJyQxojaD

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 26, 2024

The Bucks are in Miami at present, ahead of a Tuesday afternoon matchup against the 7-7 Heat. The bout tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Without Middleton, Milwaukee has gotten off to a middling 8-9 season start, but is currently riding high on a four-game win streak. New veteran's minimum signing Taurean Prince has been doing a serviceable job while starting in the 6-foot-7 swingman's stead. rince, who is questionable for Tuesday's matchup against Miami, has been available for all 17 of the Bucks' regular season games thus far, all stars. He's averaging 8.5 points on excellent .491/.531/.714 shooting splits, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.9 steals.

"I'm told for the first time in this rehab process from bilateral ankle surgeries, Khris Middleton completed full five-on-five scrimmages on Monday with the Bucks in Miami," Charania revealed. "The team is hopeful that he is going to be able to make his season debut at some point after Thanksgiving. From what I'm told, he has been already cleared medically to play, but for him it's about comfort. [He intends to return] when he's fully right and feels that he's going to be able to make an impact, like we know Khris Middleton can, when he is fully healthy."

"Five-on-five though, able to do that. That is a big step for Khris Middleton," Andrews responded to Charania.

It's fascinating that Middleton is not yet comfortable playing, and will miss his 18th matchup on Tuesday. night.

A timeline of "some point after Thanksgiving" is incredibly open-ended, and not ideal for Milwaukee fans or players to hear. The Bucks could use Middleton's skills on both sides of the ball sooner rather than later, as they strive to compete for a very gettable top-five seeded in an Eastern Conference that appears to be relatively open beyond the 17-1 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 15-3 Boston Celtics, both of whom have clearly established themselves as the class of the conference.

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