Milwaukee Bucks All-Star ahead Khris Middleton underwent two profitable arthroscopic clean-up procedures to repair lingering points this offseason, league sources inform The Athletic.
Shortly after the playoffs, Middleton underwent surgical procedure on his left ankle to handle a difficulty that plagued him all through this previous season. Per these sources, the process cleaned up among the lingering harm that stemmed from the left ankle sprain Middleton suffered on Feb. 6 when he landed on Phoenix Suns ahead Kevin Durant’s foot after trying a jumper. Durant was assessed a flagrant 1 penalty for the closeout.
“I can’t consider an ankle sprain I’ve had this unhealthy like this,” Middleton mentioned on March 6. “I imply, after it occurred, I attempted to play, run it off somewhat bit, see if it was going to loosen up or no matter. Simply didn’t. Didn’t really feel snug.
“Went into the again, tried to get re-taped, and as quickly as I took my shoe off, it simply blew up. So, needed to shut it down.”
Along with that surgical procedure, Middleton, 32, additionally wanted a minor arthroscopic process to scrub up a lingering challenge in his proper ankle. That surgical procedure occurred in mid-June.
Middleton was strolling with out ache or discomfort when he visited his teammates in Las Vegas for summer time league motion Saturday afternoon. So far as a timeline for restoration, Middleton has already began mild courtroom work, league sources inform The Athletic, and he’s anticipated to be prepared for the beginning of the 2024-25 season.
The 12-year NBA veteran missed greater than a month of motion and 16 consecutive video games together with his left ankle harm earlier than returning on March 17. Middleton performed in 12 of the Bucks’ closing 15 regular-season video games with the three video games he missed approaching back-to-backs the place he was listed as out with left ankle harm administration.
Regardless of the lingering left ankle challenge, in addition to a proper ankle sprain he suffered in Recreation 2 of the collection, Middleton carried out nicely for the Bucks within the postseason, averaging 24.7 factors, 9.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 38.3 minutes in six video games in opposition to the Indiana Pacers within the first spherical.
Middleton’s robust postseason included a 42-point Recreation 3 efficiency during which Middleton tried to will the Bucks to a victory with out two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and with seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard restricted in extra time, and a Recreation 5 win during which the Bucks turned the primary group in NBA historical past to win a playoff sport with out their two main scorers from the common season.
KHRIS MONEY MIDDLETON TIES IT! pic.twitter.com/o27gvnfFhs
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 27, 2024
For the season, although, Middleton averaged 15.1 factors, 4.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 27 minutes per sport, taking part in solely 55 video games. The three-time All-Star spent the primary month of the season on a strict minutes restrict as he rounded again into kind in his restoration from a proper knee surgical procedure in Could 2023 shortly after the Bucks’ first-round loss to the Miami Warmth.
That is one other necessary offseason for the Bucks as head coach Doc Rivers makes an attempt to determine the way to get the group again into the championship dialog after Milwaukee misplaced within the first spherical of the NBA playoffs for a second consecutive season with well being taking part in a significant position. Antetokounmpo missed all the collection in opposition to Indiana, and Lillard missed two video games as nicely.
Middleton has two years remaining on the three-year, $102 million contract extension he signed with the Bucks final offseason, which features a participant choice for the 2025-26 season.
(Photograph by Gary Dineen / NBAE by way of Getty Pictures)
