Reports say Khris Middleton will return to the Milwaukee Bucks on a long-term deal

Keeping Khris Middleton is still a primary goal for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Matthew Dugandzic | Jun 8, 2023

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Milwaukee Bucks

The hiring of Adrian Griffin as the new Milwaukee Bucks head coach has already been made official. The focus will now shift to whether or not Khris Middleton will stay with the Bucks.

A lot of speculations have surfaced, but according to an NBA Insider, Middleton is gearing toward a long-term agreement with the Bucks.

Khris will likely stay

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that “there is a growing sense among league executives that Middleton will return to the Bucks on a long-term agreement.”

Middleton is being targeted by the Houston Rockets in the free agency market, according to the report, but the Bucks are intent on keeping the veteran shooter.

The report added that the Bucks made an effort to consult Middleton in their search for a new coach, which “strongly signaled a mutual interest in keeping the All-Star guard.”

The three-time All-Star has a player option worth over $40 million that he has to decide on before June 21st.

A much-needed rest

Middleton has been hounded by injuries in the past few seasons. He injured his knee in the 2022 NBA playoffs and missed a ton of games when he underwent wrist surgery in the off-season.

In their campaign this season, a myriad of injuries limited the 6-foot-7 guard to just 33 games and averages of 15.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.2 blocks.

The Bucks were eventually eliminated in the very first round of the playoffs, but it was there that Middleton got to flash his old deadly form.

In Milwaukee’s shocking 1-4 loss to the Miami Heat, Middleton averaged a team-high 23.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 0.6 steals.

The first-round exit may have been an unwelcome early vacation for the Bucks, but the early elimination gave Middleton a longer time to rest his banged-up body.

A healthy Middleton will give the Bucks a big boost next season, and that’s, of course, if he decides to come back.

Published Jun 8, 2023

MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.