Bucks’ Khris Middleton to Miss Start of Regular Season

Milwaukee Bucks All-Star forward Khris Middleton will miss the start of the 2022-23 NBA season.

Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton will be sitting out the first few weeks of the 2022-23 NBA season. There’s no exact date yet for his return, but it was already expected that the wrist surgery he underwent during the offseason will force him to miss the start of the new season. Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, Middleton himself mentioned that he won’t suit up in the season opener, when the Bucks go up against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers on October 21.

This is another disappointing development for the undermanned Bucks squad, as they’re already missing the services of Pat Connaughton and newly-acquired small forward Joe Ingles. Without Middleton, Connaughton, and Ingles at the wing, the Bucks might have to rely on third-year forward Jordan Nwora and rookie MarJon Beauchamp.

Of course, they still have the elite skill set of former back-to-back Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo. Veteran big man Brook Lopez is also in fully-healthy form, after missing a large chunk of the 2021-22 season due to a major lower back injury. But the Bucks will certainly miss the versatility that Middleton provides, especially his shooting and shot-creating on the offensive end of the floor.

Khris Middleton, who already has three All-Star appearances on his resume, produced an excellent stat line of 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Selected 39th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, Middleton has certainly surpassed every expectation, as he has become one of the elite two-way players we have in the league today. The 6-foot-7 small forward has been with the Bucks since 2013, helping the franchise win the NBA title when they defeated the Phoenix Suns in 2021.