Bucks Injury Report: Doc Rivers Provides Update on Khris Middleton's Health

The former three-time All-Star has missed the entire preseason and regular season so far.

Sep 30, 2024; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center 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

Former three-time All-Star small forward Khris Middleton wasn't even close to his prime self across his past two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. A pair of offseason surgeries this summer can helpfully remedy that — but for now, he isn't playing. And his head coach doesn't really have much of a handle on when he'll be back, though he is working through shooting drills at team practices.

"He did a lot today," head coach Doc Rivers said on Thursday, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "A whole lot. Stayed out on the floor with our guys. So, he's getting close."

How close, Doc? When will he actually be back?

"I don't have a timeline," Rivers added. "But he's getting closer."

The 1-4 Bucks, losers of four straight, sure could use him. Veteran's minimum contract signee Taurean Prince, nominally a 3-and-D wing whose defense isn't quite where it needs to be, has been starting at the three-spot in Middleton's stead. Prince is averaging 7.6 points on a robust 50 percent shooting from the field, including 47.1 percent on his 3.4 triple tries a night. He's also pulling down 5.2 rebounds, dishing out 2.0 dimes, and swiping 1.4 steals. But he's not stopping anybody, and in a Bucks starting five with defensive sieves Damian Lillard and Gary Trent Jr. occupying the backcourt, that's a major problem. Prince lacks the footspeed of prime Middleton, although it's an open question as to whether or not Middleton, now 33 and coming off major surgeries, will ever get back to that level.

Middleton has missed all of the Bucks' first five games this season, plus all of the team's preseason slate. According to the league's latest injury report, he will miss a sixth consecutive bout on Saturday, as the Bucks host the unbeaten (6-0) Cleveland Cavaliers. Milwaukee is the more rested team, as Cleveland will be playing the second night of a back-to-back set of bouts.

G League player Stanley Umude is with the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee's NBAGL affiliate in Oshkosh, as are young standard roster wings AJ Johnson and Chris Livingston. Antetokounmpo, who has been dealing with right patella tendinitis for a few days, is listed as probable to once again play through that.

On the Cavaliers side, three standard roster pieces have already been ruled out. Wings Max Strus (right ankle sprain) and Caris LeVert (sore right knee) are both on the shelf, as is Jaylon Tyson (left hip sprain). Two-way player Emoni Bates is with Cleveland's G League squad, the Cleveland Charge. Second-year point guard Craig Porter Jr. is considered probable to power through his sprained right thumb.

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