When the Milwaukee Bucks were sent home after a first round loss (again) in the NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers, Khris Middleton was the only member of the team’s Big Three that was healthy enough to play all six games. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the series with a strained soleus and Damian Lillard aggravated an Achilles injury during the series. While he only missed one game, he was highly limited in what he was able to do on the court.
Middleton himself was not completely healthy either. Still, he was the Bucks’ best player in the series, averaging 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 48/35/90 from the floor.
The three-time All-Star has been dealing with lower leg injuries for multiple seasons now. He played in just 33 games in 2022-23 and was limited to 55 games last season.
Milwaukee Bucks Head Coach Doc Rivers Reveals Khris Middleton Had Surgery This Offseason
Middleton’s injury struggles began when he severely hurt his knee in Milwaukee’s first round win over the Chicago Bulls in the 2021-22 NBA Playoffs. Many fans believe that the Bucks might have been able to beat the Boston Celtics, whom they lost to in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, had Middleton been healthy.
The injury caused Middleton to miss a large portion of the following season, and the rust he had as a result of not playing for so long was apparent. Unfortunately, knee and ankle injuries continued to pop up and limit his availability.
In the Bucks’ most recent NBA Summer League broadcast, head coach Doc Rivers revealed that his three-time All-Star forward underwent surgery again this offseason (per Frank Madden):
Doc just let slip that Khris Middleton had surgery over the summer — have heard it was a cleanup right after the season on his ankle (presumably the left one he hurt in Feb). He’s in Vegas this week and seems to be moving normally so assumption is he’ll be fine for camp.
— Frank Madden (@fmaddenNBA) July 17, 2024
As Madden notes, the rumor is that Middleton’s surgery was just a cleanup procedure on his ankle, and that it occurred right after the season ended.
He is expected to be a full participant in training camp.
The Milwaukee Bucks Need Khris Middleton to Be Healthy
While many fans may not like Middleton, the fact of the matter is that he is one of the best players on the current roster, and frankly is one of the best players in franchise history. Too quickly have some forgotten the 40 points he dropped in an NBA Finals game.
There is a reason the Bucks re-signed him last season for over $100 million. He is a vital part to their roster. When everyone is healthy, he is the best third-scoring option in the league. As he proved against Indiana, he can also shoulder a heavier load when needed.
That being said, Milwaukee needs all of their players to be healthy come playoff time if they are going to seriously compete for another NBA Championship. General manager Jon Horst did a terrific job adding quality veterans on minimum deals (at least on paper), but the three stars need to stay healthy.
Giannis, Lillard, and Middleton played just six games together, total, after Rivers took over as head coach. Hopefully this cleanup procedure helps keep Middleton on the floor next season because the Bucks need all hands-on deck.
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