Tag: Khris Middleton

Minimum GOATs: The best players ever on the NBA’s base salary

At any given time, roughly a third of the league is on veteran or rookie minimum contracts. By and large, these are young and unproven or older and nearly washed players, balancing on a knife’s edge for their NBA careers. Most second-round picks, …

At any given time, roughly a third of the league is on veteran or rookie minimum contracts. By and large, these are young and unproven or older and nearly washed players, balancing on a knife’s edge for their NBA careers. Most second-round picks, for example, end up signing minimum deals, and few stick in the league for too long. But every once in a while, a minimum player makes you sit up and take notice of their play.

Here are the Top 20 players to play on minimum deals. (For this exercise, we’re focusing on players on minimum contracts for full seasons).

When will Khris Middleton return from his injury? Here’s what we know.

Here’s the latest.

Khris Middleton holds one of the keys to the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2024-25 season, as he has since they won their last title.

But the star forward hasn’t played more than 60 games since 2021-22, and now he’s missed the entire preseason after he underwent arthroscopic surgeries on both of his ankles in July.

He’s done a little scrimmaging but he’s had limited practices. So when will he be back while missing the season opener?

Here’s what Doc Rivers said via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “No Khris today so probably no Khris (Wednesday). It’s pretty 100%. Ninety-nine (percent). I would say this week it became more expected (that he wouldn’t play). I thought before this week there was a pretty good chance he may make it. Because he’s moving great. But we just haven’t had enough live activity for him. There’s no setbacks. I would say if this was a playoff game he’d probably be playing. Or close to it.”

So maybe he’s close?

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Khris Middleton hilariously pleaded with Doc Rivers to score 1 more point for a triple-double (and he did!)

Khris Middleton just asked for one more bucket!

Milwaukee Bucks wing Khris Middleton was about to record a triple-double for the second time in his NBA career, but there was one problem.

It was the fourth quarter and the Bucks were already winning by so much that Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers knew it was about time for Middleton exit the game.

The Bucks were leading, 107-86, and Middleton had already reached his 10 rebounds and 10 assists. But he was still one point shy of reaching a triple-double for just the second time in his NBA career. So rather than exiting the game, Middleton tried pleading with his coach for one last shot.

Rivers obliged, Middleton scored on a mid-range jumper, and everyone (except the Thunder) walked away happy.

It was the first triple-double for Middleton since Jan. 20, 2018 and now, it comes with a very fun story to tell next time he recounts how it happened.

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14 most surprising omissions (Tyrese Maxey!) from the 2024 USA Basketball men’s player pool

Unless these players denied invitations, these are some very shocking decisions by Team USA.

USA Basketball announced a 41-athlete player pool as candidates for the Paris Olympics roster. Eventually, 12 players will make the final cut.

Among the 12 names that we initially projected to make the roster after the 2023 FIBA World Cup, 11 appeared on the first list. Those players were LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Edwards and Mikal Bridges.

A few notable All-Stars to also earn invitations include Chris Paul, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Brown, Trae Young, Jrue Holiday, De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Brandon Ingram, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jarrett Allen.

The other players were Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Brunson, Alex Caruso, Aaron Gordon, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Chet Holmgren, Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Bobby Portis, Austin Reaves, Duncan Robinson and Derrick White.

Two players who we did not include in our surprising omissions were Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant. While both of these players may have helped the team on the court, they have faced off-court issues that made invitations unlikely — plus Morant is currently injured.

Otherwise, these were the most surprising omissions from the list:

Former Texas A&M star Khris Middleton moves in to the third all-time scoring in Bucks history

Khris Middleton drops 26 on the Detroit Pistons to slide to the third spot all time in Bucks history.

Khris Middleton just might be one of the most underrated players in the NBA, but when you pair him with one of the best players in the modern NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo, it’s easy to see why he might get looked over at times. Then, when you add Damian Lillard to the mix there is even more of the light being shared in Milwaukee.

However, what cannot be denied are pure numbers and Middleton is what you call a bucket. His length and fluid style of play have always made him a dangerous scorer from anywhere on the floor. He closed out the night with 26 points in the win over the Pistons giving him a career total of 12,012 points. The 11-year pro gave his thoughts after the game on what it means to climb into the third all-time spot in franchise history.

“That’s a pretty cool pretty cool moment you know,” Middleton said. “I’m happy, still want to keep doing a lot of great things for this team, for the city. It all started here which is pretty cool that I did that but I feel like I said I have a lot left.”

Middleton passed Glenn Rice in the standings and barring injury and how long he continues to play he can move himself into striking distance of Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabber. Congratulations to Khris on his championship career and moving upward as one of the most prolific scorers in Milwaukee Bucks history.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

 

Damian Lillard praised new Bucks teammate Marjon Beauchamp: ‘That’s my kind of young player’

Marjon Beaucamp is potentially the secret to success for the Bucks.

The Milwaukee Bucks are one of the favorites to win the 2024 NBA Championship but they will need all the help they can get.

Although some oddsmakers believe that Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo are potentially the best 1-2 punch in the league, Milwaukee will have its best chance of winning a title if their depth plays well down the stretch.

One of the players who could potentially help make a difference is Marjon Beauchamp. The former first-round pick for the Bucks from the G Leauge Ignite has already made a strong impression on Lillard.

The seven-time All-Star shared his thoughts about his new teammate:

“He’s a big guard … Tall, long, athletic, he can score the ball, he’s competitive. It just kind of jumped out to me. When I watch young players, I always try to put myself in the space of a scout and he’s a player that, if I was scouting a player, I would draft him. I would pick him just off of what I’ve seen the past couple days. His energy, off the court versus on the court, that’s my kind of young player.”

Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton also spoke glowingly about Beauchamp:

“He knows he has a great opportunity in front of him and it’s not going to be given to him. He’s going to have to work for it and he’s showing that. He’s proving that with the work that he put in over the summertime and the confidence that he’s gotten over the two years in this league … We expect big things from him. We’re going to need him … He’s a guy that not a lot of people know but they should know him because he’s all the potential and all the talent in the world.”

Based on his recent usage, we can potentially predict a potentially increased role on the court for Milwaukee next season.

When including passes, per Synergy, Beauchamp finished 27.5 percent of his possessions as the ball handler in pick-and-roll sets or in isolation last season. That rate went up to 46.1 percent during the NBA 2K24 Summer League.

Per our research, that percentage increase ranked as the fourth-most among all players (minimum: 200 possessions finished last season) who participated during summer league action.

As the 22-year-old wing continues to develop, perhaps it’s worth it for the Bucks to consider using Beauchamp in the starting lineup when the season begins.

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Ranking the NBA’s 10 best star trios (now including Dame, Giannis and Middleton)

Can anyone compete with the defending champs?

You need a lot of star power on your roster in order to win a championship in the NBA and several teams just added significant talent.

As the offseason ended, the Bucks traded for Damian Lillard while the Celtics added Jrue Holiday. Earlier this offseason, meanwhile, the Suns added Bradley Beal to a lineup that already had Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. But how do these revamped contenders stack up with the league’s top three-man lineups?

Many publications have ranked the best duos in the NBA — which you can read here, here, here or here. But we wanted to look at the best star trios in the league right now. Here is what we concluded:

Note: Net rating is how many points per 100 possession each team has outscored opponents when these three players are on the court at the same time.

Projected starters for the Bucks after a huge trade united Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo

This is a WILDLY exciting move for Milwaukee.

After months of speculation, it finally happened: Damian Lillard was traded from the Portland Trail Blazers.

The seven-time All-Star is reportedly headed to the Milwaukee Bucks in a multi-team deal also involving Jrue Holiday and Deandre Ayton. As of right now, with a star paring of Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks are widely considered favorites to win the Eastern Conference.

While the loss of Holiday is definitely a massive hit to Milwaukee’s defensive identity, the Bucks still have an elite defensive presence with Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez.

Lillard, meanwhile, should provide an immediate bolster to the offense for the Bucks next season and beyond. Under new head coach Adrian Griffin, the Milwaukee offense will now have a top-tier offensive self-creator.

Here is what the rest of the starting lineup may look like for the Bucks:

New Rockets targets emerge in NBA’s 2023 free agency

2023 #Rockets free agency targets reportedly include names like Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Bruce Brown, Jordan Clarkson, Austin Reaves, Cam Johnson, Dillon Brooks, and Jakob Poeltl.

With an NBA-leading figure of approximately $60 million in space beneath the 2023-24 salary cap, the Rockets have been linked to big-name pursuits in the 2023 free agency. Many media reports have tied them to the likes of James Harden and Fred VanVleet, which could offer a veteran presence to surround Houston’s young core.

The Rockets will also have the room exception at their disposal, which allows for an additional contract starting at near $8 million.

Yet, since the rebuilding Rockets aren’t going to immediately contend for a championship regardless of this offseason’s signings, general manager Rafael Stone will need to balance short-term upgrades with a need for value contracts on the team’s books.

Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets will likely try to sign three or four free agents, with a particular emphasis on two-way production (offense and defense). Two could be signed to larger deals, while one or two others may fill in around them.

By position groups of guards, wings, and bigs, here’s a statistical look at Feigen’s list (published Sunday, June 25) of potential Rockets targets in 2023 free agency. Three of these names are restricted, meaning that the player’s current team would have the opportunity to match any deal and block a potential move to Houston.

All statistics are from the NBA’s 2022-23 regular season.

Khris Middleton declines player option with Milwaukee Bucks, becomes free agent

Former Texas A&M star Khris Middleton will officially test free agency after declining his $40M player option with the Milwaukee Bucks for the 2023-24 season.

Khris Middleton will officially test free agency following a midnight ET deadline to pick up his player option for the 2023-24 season.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the three-time All-Star, and former Texas A&M Aggie, has declined his $40 million player option with the Milwaukee Bucks to become a free agent. Middleton is coming off a five-year, $178 million contract he signed with the Bucks during the 2019 offseason.

Wojnarowski noted that a return to the Bucks remains a possibility for Middleton.

The Bucks’ number two star was limited to just 33 games during the 2022-23 regular season in light of a handful of injuries. He missed the first 20 games of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist. Middleton also dealt with the reactivation of a prior knee injury, which factored into his scoring average of 15.1 points per game last season, a drop-off compared to his 20.1 points per game the year before.

Middleton reportedly underwent right knee surgery following the Bucks’ first-round playoff exit to the Miami Heat.

While this latest development officially means Middleton is a free agent, and theoretically can sign with a new team, it’s hard to fathom the three-time All-Star and NBA champion making such a move.

If anything, this decision could be a prelude to signing a new deal with a lower average salary for the coming season. That could aid the Bucks in re-signing free agent center Brook Lopez.

Keeping Milwaukee’s core of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Lopez together will likely be the priority after coming off a first-round exit in the playoffs. Despite some lingering questions around an aging roster, the Bucks are still built to be among the favorites to win the Eastern Conference heading into the 2023-24 season.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee.

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