Khris Middleton

Bucks Notes: Lillard, Giannis, Free Agent Signings, Middleton

October 2nd, 2024 at 8:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

After the Bucks traded for Damian Lillard late in September of 2023, there were only a few days for him and Giannis Antetokounmpo to get acquainted before the start of training camp. There’s hope that a year of playing together will help the two stars push the team back into title contention, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

“I think now we’re in a very, very good place,” Antetokounmpo said. “Before, we never had a player like him. It’s just something that slowly, slowly with time you understand. It’s definitely hard when I’m 29 and he’s 34 at this moment of our careers to kind of change the habits you’ve created, but if you want to win, you have to do so. I think we both — me, him and the rest of our team — are willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

After Milwaukee’s first-round playoff exit, Antetokounmpo told reporters that he planned to travel to Portland during the offseason to spend some time with Lillard. Antetokounmpo’s summer was filled with recovering from a left calf strain that forced him to miss the playoff series, representing Greece in the Olympics, and getting married. The Portland trip never happened, but Lillard told reporters at media day that their level of communication is fine.

“I think subconsciously, we are who we are because of how stubborn we are and how much we believe in what we believe,” Lillard said. “And I’ve never played with a player of his level. He’s never played with a point guard like me. So I think it just took time for it to get to this point where I’m going to say what I need to say to you and it doesn’t have to be negative or like I’m coming at you, but I can say it, know that you’re going to take it as what I think the best thing is and vice versa.”

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One of Doc Rivers’ first ideas after taking over as head coach in late January was to have his players travel somewhere for this week’s training camp, Nehm adds. They’re at the University of California-Irvine in an effort to build team unity. “I think it’s important that they’ll be riding in the car together to and from practice, going to dinners, spending time,” Rivers said. “I wish it was longer, honestly. … But from a team standpoint, the longer they’re together, (the better). It’s nice that our first game is on the road, so it kind of extends it, you know? No families. No friends around. Just us. I think that’s good for our team.”
General manager Jon Horst believes the Bucks’ reputation around the league helped them attract Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince and Delon Wright, who all came to Milwaukee on veteran’s minimum contracts, per Jim Owczarski of the Journal Sentinel. “It’s really a credit to those players for choosing us,” Horst said. “They weren’t short of options, and in most cases, honestly, they chose less money to come play for us for a chance to win and for a chance to really compete and improve their careers.”
For a team that’s used to being part of the Christmas Day showcase, it was surprising to see the Bucks left off this year’s schedule, notes Jamal Collier of ESPN. The snub was a topic of conversation as players gathered for media day. “I think, somewhat, we’ve been overlooked,” Khris Middleton said. “We should have had a Christmas Day game, I believe. But the NBA felt different. I don’t need that as extra motivation … but disappointed a little bit.”
Middleton continues to make progress following offseason surgery on both ankles, Owczarski tweets. “Everybody’s healthy. Nobody’s limited,” Rivers said after the second day of camp. “Khris did a lot, nothing live, but he did everything else. He even did a couple little live drills. He kind of slipped in there on us, so all good there.”

Bucks Notes: Middleton, Lillard, Giannis, Wolf

September 28th, 2024 at 6:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

With training camp about to open, Bucks swingman Khris Middleton still hasn’t received medical clearance for 5-on-5 action, sources tell basketball reporter Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Middleton is “progressing nicely” after offseason surgical procedures on both ankles, Haynes adds, but the team plans to be careful with him in camp.

Middleton had been bothered by pain in his left ankle since spraining it in February, so he underwent arthroscopic surgery to fix the issue. He also had an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right ankle, which he sprained during the playoff loss to Indiana.

Middleton, 33, was limited to 55 games last season, averaging 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists per night. He played just 33 games the year before, and the Bucks will need him to have a strong bounce-back season to have a chance to compete for a title.

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In a recent appearance on Marshawn Lynch’s “Get Got” podcast, Damian Lillard reflected on the surprise of being traded to the Bucks last September after spending the summer expecting to be headed to Miami (hat tip to The Sports Rush). “I’m in a great situation, but when I had my mind thinking I was going, you know, one place and then I ended up going somewhere else, it changed that experience for me,” Lillard said, adding that he doesn’t have any regrets about how the situation played out.
On the one-year anniversary of the three-team Lillard trade, Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel looks at how it affected the Bucks, Trail Blazers and Suns to see if a clear winner has emerged.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo offered pointers to incoming Rutgers freshmen and projected 2025 lottery picks Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper on Friday during a workout arranged by Nike (Twitter link).
The Bucks organization is mourning the loss of Joe Wolf, who served as an assistant coach with the G League’s Wisconsin Herd. Wolf unexpectedly passed away this week. “Throughout his life, Joe touched many lives and was a highly respected, adored and dedicated coach and player across the NBA,” the team said in a statement. “His well-regarded talent was instrumental for the Bucks and Herd over eight years with the organization, including as a player and coach.” Wolf, 59, was a standout at North Carolina and played for seven teams during his 11-year NBA career.

Khris Middleton Recovering From Two Ankle Surgeries

July 17th, 2024 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said on ESPN’s Summer League broadcast on Tuesday (Twitter video link) that Khris Middleton underwent surgery this summer, Shams Charania and Eric Nehm of The Athletic have provided the details. According to Charania and Nehm, Middleton is actually recovering from two separate procedures.

The first was an arthroscopic surgery on Middleton’s left ankle to address an injury that plagued him throughout the 2023/24 season. The Bucks forward originally sprained the ankle on February 6 and said a month later that he had never experienced a sprain as bad as that one — it ultimately kept him on the shelf for nearly a month-and-a-half, costing him 16 games.

Middleton also underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his right ankle, per The Athletic’s duo, to clean up a lingering issue. He sprained his right ankle in Game 2 of the team’s first-round postseason series vs. Indiana.

The procedure on Middleton’s left ankle occurred shortly after the Bucks were eliminated in the playoffs in May, while the second procedure on the right ankle was completed in mid-June.

Although it may not be welcome news for Bucks fans that Middleton – whose effectiveness has been compromised by injury issues in recent years – is recovering from surgeries on both ankles, Charania and Nehm say the recovery process is going well.

The 32-year-old was walking around without pain or discomfort in Las Vegas over the weekend and has already begun light on-court workouts, league sources tell The Athletic. The expectation is that Middleton will be ready to go for the start of the 2024/25 season.

Middleton’s numbers are down over the past two regular seasons as he has struggled to stay healthy, but he performed more like his old self during the postseason this spring, helping to keep the Bucks in the series vs. the Pacers with Giannis Antetokounmpo unavailable and Damian Lillard sidelined for two games. He averaged 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in those six games, making 48.2% of his shots from the field and 90.0% of his free throws.

Central Notes: Bulls, Donovan, Allen, Middleton

May 22nd, 2024 at 8:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

This year’s All-NBA voting offered another reminder of the depressing state the Bulls find themselves in, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. DeMar DeRozan, who received one third-team vote, was the only Bulls player mentioned on any of the 99 ballots. That comes after not having an All-Star and missing the playoffs for the second straight season.

Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas promised changes following last month’s loss in the play-in tournament. The front office will reportedly scour the trade market in another attempt to find a taker for Zach LaVine, but Johnson notes that there were more rumors about LaVine at the 2023 draft combine than this year’s version.

If nobody is willing to take on the $139MM that LaVine is owed over the next three seasons, Johnson sees sign-and-trades involving DeRozan and fellow free agent Patrick Williams as the best chances for immediate improvement, along with a potential Lonzo Ball comeback. However, Karnisovas has already stated that he hopes to re-sign both DeRozan and Williams this summer.

There’s more from the Central Division:

The recent addition of former Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. to Billy Donovan‘s staff doesn’t mean the Bulls‘ coach is in danger of losing his job, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley states that Donovan is “as safe as he has been since the day he was hired,” noting that Karnisovas expressed support for him after the season ended.
The Cavaliers may give serious consideration to breaking up their big-man tandem of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen this summer, suggests Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber only). The team has believed Mobley would eventually develop into a full-time center since he was drafted in 2021, according to Fedor, who adds that the two big men often appear to be in each other’s way on offense. Fedor believes the Cavs might be ready to part with Allen and maybe Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland for an upgrade at the wing.
The Bucks only got minimal financial benefit from Khris Middleton missing out on a combined $2.1MM in bonuses tied to games played and the team’s success in the playoffs, Jim Owczarski of the Journal Sentinel states in a mailbag column. Milwaukee will have a slightly lower tax bill, but all bonuses count in determining the new salary aprons, even if they’re not earned, so the Bucks still project as a second apron team for next season.

Bucks Notes: Giannis, Lillard, Grades, Offseason, Beverley

May 3rd, 2024 at 2:30pm CST by Rory Maher

After entering the season with hopes of claiming their second title in four years, the Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season, with superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo missing the entire series due to a calf strain.

As Jamal Collier of ESPN writes, Milwaukee made plenty of changes to try to advance further in 2023/24, starting with firing Mike Budenholzer and trading for Damian Lillard. The Bucks also cut ties with Adrian Griffin, Budenholzer’s replacement, during the season, hiring longtime head coach Doc Rivers in Griffin’s place. Yet the end result was the same: Antetokounmpo injured and a first-round exit.

With the NBA’s second-oldest roster, the Bucks looked brittle throughout the season, particularly on the defensive end, according to Michael Pina of The Ringer. Khris Middleton, Lillard and Antetokounmpo only combined to play 42 games together, and while they went 28-14 in those contests, they’ve all had their share of injuries the past few seasons.

Pina wonders if either Antetokounmpo or the Bucks — or even both — will eventually decide its best for the two sides to part ways, particularly if Milwaukee slogs through another up-and-down season again in ’24/25. That could turn out to be the most prudent choice for both parties, Pina contends.

Here’s more on the Bucks:

Lillard, who missed Games 4 and 5 after aggravating an Achilles injury, returned for Thursday’s Game 6 loss. He finished with 28 points and four assists. While the team was obviously disappointed to be eliminated by Indiana, Middleton appreciated how much work Lillard put in to return on Thursday, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “It meant a lot,” Middleton said. “He was going through a serious thing that had been bothering him for a while. He felt he was good enough to go out there and play tonight. I thought he gave it everything he had also. So it’s a lot of respect from me and I think from everyone inside that locker room that he went out there and played 35 minutes. We needed him tonight, but just couldn’t pull it out.”
Eric Nehm of The Athletic gives an “incomplete” grade regarding the fit of Lillard and Rivers due to Milwaukee’s injuries. However, it’s clear the Bucks need to improve their roster, particularly adding more wing defenders, which will be a tall order for a team facing luxury tax restrictions this offseason, Nehm adds.
Mark Deeks of HoopsHype provides his offseason preview for the Bucks.
At the end of Game 6, Patrick Beverley threw a ball in the stands behind Milwaukee’s bench two times, hitting a pair of Pacers fans. According to Lauren Merola, Shams Charania and Eric Nehm of The Athletic, one of the fans was directing obscenities at Beverley in the lead-up to the incident, which was apparently escalated when the fan said, “Cancun … Cancun on three” when the team was breaking a huddle. The NBA is looking into the incident, per The Athletic.
Beverley also refused to speak to a very well-regarded ESPN producer — Malinda Adams — who wasn’t subscribed to his podcast after the game. On Friday, Adams announced (via Twitter) that both Beverley and the Bucks reached out to her and apologized.

Central Notes: Mobley, Garland, Pacers, Giannis, Lillard

May 1st, 2024 at 6:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jarrett Allen‘s rib injury meant the Cavaliers needed a huge performance from Evan Mobley in Game 5, and he responded with 14 points, 13 rebounds and a game-saving block in the final seconds, writes Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Mobley switched onto Orlando’s Franz Wagner on a drive to the basket and tipped away a shot that would have tied the game.

“It was a big play,” Mobley said. “The game was on the line. I just went for it. I knew he was going to go for the layup. So, went for it, got a clean block and we got the rebound. So, got us to win. I’m just trying to make game-winning plays and winning plays as much as possible, especially on the stretch. And I feel like I did a good job this game.”

The win was vital for a Cavs team that had just come off two lopsided losses to the Magic and was hoping to avoid going to back to Orlando with a 3-2 deficit. Allen is considered day to day, and there’s no indication yet of whether he’ll be ready when the series resumes Friday night. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the team will continue to use a “committee” approach if his starting center isn’t available.

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After struggling to score for most of the series, Darius Garland provided an early spark for the Cavaliers in Game 5, Andrews adds. Garland, who had plus-minus ratings of minus-22 and minus-27 in the two losses at Orlando, poured in 17 points in the first quarter Tuesday. “Shoot. Shoot. Shoot,” Donovan Mitchell responded when asked about his advice for Garland. “I don’t give a damn. Shoot the ball. At the end of the day, go out swinging — and there’s a different spark we get when he’s like that. You see it. I’ve set the tones in Games 1 and 2, but there’s a different spark too when he’s also continuing to go. He’s a guy that’s [an] All-Star-level player, caliber player, and he’s just — shoot the ball, be you, be aggressive. And that’s what you see tonight.”
The Pacers feel like they squandered a golden opportunity to close out their series, losing by 23 points Tuesday to a Bucks team playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Indiana players realize that they’ll have to match Milwaukee’s intensity in Game 6. “We gotta understand they’re a team on the brink of their season being done,” Tyrese Haliburton said. “They’re playing desperate, they’re playing hard as they should be. They out-competed us tonight. Dominated us in every facet of the game.”
The Bucks may continue to be short-handed as Antetokounmpo (left soleus strain) and Lillard (right Achilles tendinitis) are both listed as doubtful for Thursday’s contest, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Patrick Beverley (right oblique muscle strain) and Khris Middleton (right ankle sprain) are considered probable.

Bucks’ Giannis, Lillard Out For Game 5

April 30th, 2024 at 6:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

APRIL 30: Antetokounmpo and Lillard are both out for Tuesday’s Game 5, Rivers told reporters prior the game, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets.

APRIL 29: The Bucks are on the verge of elimination and it’s unlikely they’ll have their two best players available for Game 5 of their first-round series with the Pacers. The team is listing both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard as doubtful to play on Tuesday, The Athletic’s Eric Nehm tweets.

Antetokounmpo hasn’t played the entire series due to a left calf strain that he suffered late in the regular season. Damian Lillard missed the Bucks’ Game 4 loss on Sunday due to right Achilles tendinitis. Lillard averaged 32.3 points and 5.3 assists in 40.7 minutes per contest during the first three games of the series.

Prior to Game 4, Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers expressed optimism that Antetokounmpo could return to action after the superstar went through a rugged workout on Sunday morning. “I think there’s a chance for him to play in this series. I really do,” he said.

Patrick Beverley (right oblique muscle strain) and Khris Middleton (right ankle sprain) are listed as probable to play.

The Pacers’ top player isn’t a lock to suit up, either. Tyrese Haliburton is listed as questionable due to back spasms, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star tweets.

Bucks Notes: Giannis, Lillard, Portis, Middleton, Horst

April 29th, 2024 at 11:05am CST by Arthur Hill

Trailing 3-1 in their series with Indiana, the Bucks‘ best hope for a comeback rests with the return of injured stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, writes Jim Owczarski of The Journal Sentinel. Both players sat out Sunday’s loss, but neither has been ruled out for the series, which resumes Tuesday night in Milwaukee.

Antetokounmpo, who has been sidelined since suffering a calf strain April 9, has been listed as doubtful for the first four games. However, there’s cause for optimism after the former MVP completed an intense workout Sunday morning.

“It went well,” coach Doc Rivers said. “He moved, he shot, he’s running now with no resistance. So those are all very good signs.” Rivers said he’s “optimistic” about Antetokounmpo’s chances to return at some point, adding, “Like I think there’s a chance for him to play in this series. I really do.”

Lillard aggravated his right Achilles tendon late in Game 3. He wore a walking boot for Saturday’s film session, but didn’t have it on as he sat on the bench for Sunday’s contest. He was officially listed as out with tendinitis in the Achilles tendon.

“Not shutting him down,” Rivers said. “That’s a fact. I can say that much for sure.”

There is “obviously pessimism” about the status of both players with a quick turnaround for Game 5, Shams Charania said this morning on Run It Back (video link).

There’s more on the Bucks:

Milwaukee lost an important part of its rotation on Sunday when Bobby Portis was ejected seven minutes into the game for an altercation with Andrew Nembhard (video link), notes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Although Nembhard pulled Portis’ arm, the officials determined during a video review that Portis’ push and open-handed strike were two separate hostile acts, meeting the standard for an ejection. “The emotions got the best of him,” Khris Middleton said. “I thought, for the most part of the year, he’s done a great job flirting with that line and not crossing over it. Tonight, it just crossed over at the worst time for us.”
Middleton played 40 minutes on Sunday despite pain in both ankles, Nehm adds. The veteran swingman was dealing with a sprained right ankle entering the game, and he hurt the left one when Myles Turner landed on it during a third quarter collision.
Sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer there’s a legitimate chance that general manager Jon Horst will leave the Bucks this summer to become head of basketball operations for the Pistons. Horst wasn’t on board with either of the team’s coaching hirings over the past year, according to O’Connor, as he preferred Nick Nurse when the organization opted for Adrian Griffin to please Antetokounmpo and he pushed for Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson when Rivers was brought in at midseason. O’Connor notes that Horst is a Michigan native who got his first front office job with the Pistons, and he might be more comfortable building a young team than refining Milwaukee’s aging roster.
Kelly Iko of The Athletic looks at the strategic adjustments made by Rivers and Indiana’s Rick Carlisle that have helped to shape the series.

Central Notes: Bucks/Pacers Series, Haliburton, Lillard, Middleton, Pistons

April 27th, 2024 at 9:15am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Pacers took a 2-1 series lead over the Bucks on Friday in their first home playoff game in five years. As Kelly Iko of The Athletic writes, the Bucks did a good job of defending Indiana’s preferred style of play. Milwaukee overcame a 19-point Pacers lead to force overtime behind a miraculous Khris Middleton three-pointer, and another to tie the game with 6.7 seconds left in overtime.

However, the Pacers countered everything the Bucks threw at them and prevented Milwaukee from stealing one on their home floor. With Tyrese Haliburton forced off the ball, Indiana placed Pascal Siakam on the same side of the ball to further extend Haliburton’s runway behind the three-point line.

“We’ve got to look at ways to counter the things they’re doing and vice versa,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “It’s going to keep going like that — back and forth, back and forth. … The ball movement is very important. We’ve got to remind ourselves to play with pace and move it.”

Indiana is continuing to display that it’s the high-caliber passing team it was in the regular season, leading the playoffs in assists (29.0), secondary assists (5.5) and potential assists (51.5) per game.

“In Game 1, we had a little segment on ‘one more,’ just being better at making the extra pass,” Haliburton said. “We’ve done a great job with these last two games getting guys open shots. When the ball is moving, everyone is touching it, getting open shots, the energy is just right — even if you’re not making them. I like to say the energy you put in the ball is important. I think every basketball player in the world can learn from that.”

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Haliburton hasn’t put up big scoring numbers in the series against Milwaukee and he made just 8-of-22 field goal attempts in Game 3, but that didn’t stop the Pacers guard from having the confidence to take the game-winning shot, Iko writes in the same piece. “Just knew I was shooting it, no matter what,” Haliburton said. “Didn’t know what I was going to get to, just based off of feel out there. .. Finally made a shot. I couldn’t buy a bucket today. Glad that one went in.“
The already shorthanded Bucks got more bad news with Damian Lillard going down going down and grabbing his left knee in obvious pain. “It just happened so fast as I was landing,” Lillard said, per Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “My foot was gonna do one thing and when all his weight came down on my foot it kind of twisted me up. It was painful, initially, so I just stayed down.” Lillard returned to the game and knew he would deal with discomfort, but didn’t believe he was at risk of making the injury worse. Unfortunately, Lillard aggravated his Achilles tendon with 9.3 seconds left in regulation. Lillard told coach Doc Rivers he didn’t have any explosiveness in overtime but hopes that he can get some back before Game 4. He’s likely to be listed as questionable for Game 4.
Middleton was on the injury report for the Bucks ahead of Game 3 with an ankle sprain that occurred in the first quarter of Game 2. That made his 42-point outing all the more impressive, The Athletic’s Eric Nehm writes. “Just who he is, man,” teammate Bobby Portis said. “Just a testament to being resilient and just being a team player, man. Obviously, we’re already down Giannis [Antetokounmpo], so I just think he understood the moment, the situation and rose to the occasion. Some guys can be questionable and be out there limping or acting like this and that, but he was full cash money today and it was good to see him hit those big shots.” With Antetokounmpo possibly out for Game 4 and Lillard ailing, the Bucks will continue to look to Middleton for answers on offense.
After a historically disappointing season, the Pistons should look to acquire two-way veterans to help propel their team, Sam Vecenie and James L. Edwards III write. Vecenie compares the situation to last year’s Rockets, who improved tremendously without sacrificing assets by adding Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks.

Bucks’ Middleton Available, But Giannis Out For Game 3

April 26th, 2024 at 4:35pm CST by Rory Maher

Forward Khris Middleton, who missed Thursday’s practice after sustaining a right ankle sprain in Tuesday’s Game 2 loss to Indiana, is active and starting tonight for the Bucks, tweets Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

While Middleton being available is obviously good news for Milwaukee, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled out for the third straight game of the first-round series due to a left calf (soleus) strain, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays.

A three-time All-Star, Middleton has been hampered by a variety of injuries the past two seasons. In 55 regular season games in 2023/24 (27.0 MPG), the 32-year-old averaged 15.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.3 APG and 0.9 SPG on .493/.381/.833 shooting.

Antetokounmpo continues to deal with the calf injury that has kept him on the sidelines since April 9. He has been ramping up his activity this week, but was unable to go through live drills at Thursday’s practice.

With Antetokounmpo out, the Bucks will need strong performances from Damian Lillard, Middleton and the rest of the supporting cast to keep up with Indiana’s high-powered offense, which ranked second in the NBA during the regular season. Controlling the pace and limiting transition opportunities will be another key to victory. The series is currently tied at one game apiece.

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