There was not much surprise when news broke that Milwaukee Bucks three-time All-Star Khris Middleton declined his option for next season. The option, worth over $40 million, would have made it very difficult for the Bucks to sign any new free agents. Make no mistake, though, Middleton will re-sign with the Bucks.
The Milwaukee Bucks Involved Khris Middleton in Their Head Coaching Search
Adrian Griffin was hired as the 17th head coach in franchise history after an extensive search. According to various reports, Griffin (along with two other finalists) met one-on-one with Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. After these meetings, a dinner was held between ownership, the front office, and two players.
Giannis, of course, was one of the players. The other was Khris Middleton.
Hiring a head coach is no small decision, which is why many players are not involved in the process. Middleton was invited to be a part of the Bucks’ choosing of Griffin. This indicates that both Milwaukee and himself plan on being together long-term.
Like It or Not, the Milwaukee Bucks Need Khris Middleton
There is no getting around the fact that Middleton’s 2022-23 season was disappointing. Injuries kept him out for much of the year and his 15.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists averages were not good. That being said, the context of returning from not one, but two major injuries is important to keep in mind.
Prior to his injuries, Middleton was fully healthy in 2021-22 and was an All-Star. He averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.
A much more recent indicator that the Bucks still need Middleton can be found in this year’s opening round of the NBA Playoffs. Of course, Milwaukee lost that series, but Middleton averaged 23.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game.
This offseason, Middleton had an arthroscopic procedure to clean out his knee. It was a surgery that is not expected to keep him out at all. In fact, he should be able to resume full basketball activities by the beginning of July.
In other words, he will be fully healthy in 2023-24 and is more likely that not to return to All-Star form. His production against the Heat in the Playoffs proves that he has not lost what made him so valuable to the Bucks’ championship run two seasons ago.
What Will the Next Khris Middleton Contract Look Like?
According to Yossi Gozlan of Hoops Hype, league sources believe that Middleton will command a contract in the realm of four years and $130 million.
Per Michael, league executives expect Khris Middleton to command a deal at around four years, $130M.
The Bucks are now in the repeater tax, but this framework where he decreases his first year salary could allow them to have a similar penalty as last season ($84M in 2022-23). https://t.co/VhQJfHTiLy
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) June 22, 2023
This would give Middleton an average annual salary of $35 million. However, the Bucks could back load the contract to give them more cap space for this season.
Now, there is one very important thing to keep in mind here: if this was all about the money for Middleton, he would have picked up his $40 million option. By opting out, he accepted the fact that he would be making less money in 2023-24.
The idea that he would opt out of a $40 million one-year commitment to take less money elsewhere, frankly, does not make sense. With Milwaukee, he is a clear number-two option behind Giannis, a starter, and already has a great legacy as a NBA Champion and the franchise’s all-time three-point leader.
While there are so fans that may have taken Middleton’s decision as a sign he is leaving (and they were happy about it), such an idea is just poor wishful thinking.
June 30 is the first day free agents can sign with new teams. Expect Middleton’s new contract with the Bucks to be announced then.
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