Should Magic Sign Bucks Free Agent Khris Middleton?

The Milwaukee Bucks are beginning their offseason, and Khris Middleton is the biggest free agent on the team.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 27, 2023

Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - The Milwaukee Bucks finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA, but managed just a single playoff victory after losing their first-round series 4-1 at the hands of the Miami Heat.

The Bucks now face an offseason of uncertainty, as starters Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez face free agency.

Both players could be significant losses for the Bucks, who won the NBA Finals just two seasons ago. Among the two former All-Stars, Middleton is a headliner in this year's free agent class, someone the Orlando Magic could ultimately look at as a piece to the puzzle.

Middleton, 32, struggled to stay healthy this season. He played in just 33 games for the Bucks and averaged just over 24 minutes a game. Despite a limited role, Middleton still managed to average 15.1 points per game.

The strongest part between the link from Middleton to the Magic is general manager John Hammond, who helped engineer the former All-Star's trade to Milwaukee from the Detroit Pistons after one year as a benchwarmer in the league.

Ever since the trade, Middleton has been in Milwaukee ever since, and in nine years with the team, he's made it to three All-Star games and won an NBA Finals alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.

This offseason, the Magic has the fourth-most cap space in the league, giving Orlando room to sign Middleton to a larger contract than maybe the Bucks would.

There's a decent chance Middleton stays with Milwaukee, especially given his championship pedigree and long-time commitment to the franchise. However, if Middleton is looking for a change and eyeing an opportunity to join a team on the rise, the Magic could be the perfect fit.

You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.

Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.

Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.

Want even more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page here.

Published Apr 27, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.