Featured Columnist IVNovember 5, 2024
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Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton remains out indefinitely as he recovers from his offseason ankle surgeries, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Charania reported Tuesday on NBA Today that the Bucks “have recognized that this is taking much longer than they anticipated.” Middleton has yet to resume five-on-five action on the court.
The three-time All-Star experienced issues with each of his ankles during the 2023-24 season and used his time off over the summer to have arthroscopic surgeries. It marked the third successive offseason in which he had a procedure of some kind after getting a torn wrist ligament repaired in 2022 and then alleviating some knee soreness in 2023.
There’s no question the 33-year-old’s absence has played a role in Milwaukee’s start. He’d give the team another proven scorer, and he’d help the Bucks’ three-point shooting as they sit 13th in average makes (13.0) and 15th in three-point percentage (35.4).
It’s nowhere near as simple as putting Middleton back in the rotation and watching Milwaukee thrive, though.
The Bucks are 22nd in defensive rating (116.5), per NBA.com, and they sorely lack the kind of presence they had on the perimeter with Jrue Holiday. Having the NBA’s seventh-oldest roster is showing up in how opposing guards are blowing by whoever Milwaukee is throwing at them, too.
Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell dropped 30 points in a 114-113 win over the Bucks last Saturday. Two nights later, Darius Garland went off for 39 points as the Cavs won again, 116-114.
In short, turning around a 1-6 start will require more than a healthy Middleton.
