Milwaukee Bucks’ Head Coach reveals four players who will part ways, including a top experienced superstar.
When the Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs after another first-round loss to the Indiana Pacers, Khris Middleton was the only member of the team’s Big Three who was healthy enough to play all six games. Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the series due to a strained soleus, while Damian Lillard aggravated an Achilles injury. While he only missed one game, his on-court abilities were severely limited.
Middleton was not in perfect health either. Nonetheless, he was the Bucks’ best player in the series, averaging 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game and shooting 48/35/90 from the field.
The three-time All-Star has been dealing with lower leg injuries for several seasons now. He appeared in only 33 games in 2022-23 and was limited to 55 games last season.
Doc Rivers, the Milwaukee Bucks’ head coach, has revealed that Khris Middleton had surgery this offseason.
Middleton’s injury problems began when he severely injured his knee during Milwaukee’s first-round victory 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):
