The Milwaukee Bucks have decided to move Khris Middleton to the bench in favor of lineup continuity. Head coach Doc Rivers wants to have some continuity while managing Middleton’s minutes as he is recovering from double ankle surgery. Yet, while some view it as a way to build continuity, others might see it as a message that he might get traded soon.
Milwaukee Bucks Repeating Phoenix Suns’ Cardinal Mistake
On the latest episode of the Hoop Collective, Brian Windhorst talked about the cardinal rule of building a team and working trades. He said,
“One of the things they teach you as a young coach or young executive is to never devalue your players, no matter what the reality is. Don’t talk bad about your players, and don’t do things that make your players look less valuable, specifically if you may be trying to trade them.”
Windhorst specifically mentioned Bradley Beal, but the same thing might apply to Middleton as well. He said,
“The Phoenix Suns are trying to trade Bradley Beal, it is not a secret. The last thing you’d want to do if you’re trying to trade a player regardless of the fact that everybody can see that Bradley is having a bit of a difficult season, you wouldn’t want to send a message to the rest of the league that Beal isn’t really working out for us.”
Is Khris Middleton on the Trade Block or Just to the Bench?
There have been some rumors that the Milwaukee Bucks might be interested in Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler. If that trade is to happen, one of the players that will go the other way probably is Middleton.
The Bucks have also been linked with Zach LaVine, Kyle Kuzma, and other wings around the league. In most of those proposed deals, Middleton is the one going the other way. Another player the Bucks might be looking to move is reserve forward Bobby Portis, who is their best trade chip. In any case, putting Middleton on the bench doesn’t make him more appealing.
Do the Bucks Have Enough Assets for a Trade?
The challenge for the Bucks is that they are over the second apron. Their salary for the 2024-25 season is at $193 million, which is about $5 million over the second apron of $188 million. As such, they are restricted in what they can do. Being a second-apron team, the Bucks cannot receive more salary than they send, and they cannot combine contracts. That means if they trade Middleton, they would have to get back equal salary. Trading with teams that are not over the first or second apron gives Milwaukee some flexibility because they can get more players for one asset.
Their draft capital is slim, having only one first-round pick and one second-round pick in 2031.
Is Khris Middleton Now a Bench Player?
The reality might be that Middleton is best suited as a bench player at this point in his career. He is 33-years-old and has battled plenty of injuries in the last few years.
The Bucks were in a groove with Taurean Prince in the starting lineup. He is shooting slightly better than Middleton from behind the arc, 44.5% to 40.4%. While teams do not usually pay $30 million per season to bench players, it might be best for Middleton to have a bench role. That gives the Bucks extra firepower in the second unit, and he can play against weaker opponents.
In any case, the Bucks need to get some reinforcements. After starting the season 2-8, they have turned things around. Giannis Antetokounmpo is having an MVP-type season, but he needs some help to truly contend.
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