When the Milwaukee Bucks stumbled to a 2-8 start, part of their “keep calm and carry on” talking points was that Khris Middleton would return at some point from having surgery on both ankles during the offseason and he would provide needed balance with playmaking and shooting.
The Bucks have turned things around — they sit as the No. 5 seed in the East with an 11-10 record — and now Middleton is about to make his return this Friday, reports Bobby Marks of ESPN.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton will make his season debut Friday night at Boston, sources tell ESPN.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) December 5, 2024
Middleton has previously been medically cleared and was ramping up for a return to the court. Middleton, a three-time All-Star and gold medal-winning Olympian, has battled injuries for a few years, appearing in 88 games total across the past two seasons. Last season, in 55 games, Middleton averaged 15.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.7 assists a game, shooting 38.1% from 3.
He is not the player he was at his peak, but Middleton brings wing depth, a player who can run the pick-and-roll so that Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard can work off the ball, and he brings needed shooting to the table.
Milwaukee could use him, and he returns just in time for the NBA Cup, where the Bucks will host the Magic next Tuesday in a quarterfinal matchup. Win that game and Middleton, along with his teammates, will be off to Las Vegas for the semi-finals.
