Khris Middleton Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Updates: GPII, DiVincenzo, LaVine, Middleton, Suggs, Grimes

November 1st, 2022 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers guard Gary Payton II, who continues to recover from offseason abdominal surgery, could will be out for at least two more weeks, reports Chris Haynes of TNT (Twitter link). According to Haynes, Payton’s earliest possible return date will be November 15 vs. San Antonio. That will be Portland’s first home game following a six-game road trip that begins this Friday.

The Blazers issued a press release confirming the timeline reported by Haynes and noting that Payton has been cleared to increase his conditioning and on-court activity.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

The Warriors announced today (via Twitter) that guard Donte DiVincenzo is “making good progress” as he recovers from a strained left hamstring, but isn’t ready to return quite yet. DiVincenzo will be reevaluated when the Warriors return home this weekend, per the team. That means he’ll miss at least three more games, since the Dubs will be in Miami on Tuesday, Orlando on Thursday, and New Orleans on Friday.
Bulls star Zach LaVine, listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game vs. Brooklyn, is expected to play, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania, LaVine will likely sit Wednesday’s game vs. Charlotte, the second half of a back-to-back set, as the team continues to manage his return from knee surgery.
Bucks forward Khris Middleton, who underwent offseason wrist surgery, has been assigned to the G League to practice with the Wisconsin Herd as he advances to the next stage of his rehab, tweets Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. A previous report indicated the Bucks hope to have Middleton back at some point in November.
Magic guard Jalen Suggs, out since October 21 with an ankle injury, has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday’s game in Oklahoma City, writes Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. Meanwhile, Knicks wing Quentin Grimes, who hasn’t played yet this season due to a foot injury, has been listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game vs. Atlanta, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.

Team USA Rumors: Young, Beal, Allen, Embiid

October 25th, 2022 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

Under former USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo, continuity was a top priority for the men’s national team. Colangelo required players to make two-year commitments to the program, maintained a pool of about 40 Team USA players, and conducted training camps in summers when there was no major international competition.

However, as Joe Vardon of The Athletic details, new managing director Grant Hill has decided to take a different approach, having concluded – along with new Team USA head coach Steve Kerr – that it’s not realistic to expect NBA superstars to commit back-to-back summers to the national program.

The plan for Team USA is to spend the next several months, into the spring, building the team that will represent the country at the World Cup in the Philippines next fall. USA Basketball will then repeat that process the following year in preparation for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Vardon writes.

While it remains to be seen which players will ultimately suit up for Team USA at those two events, Vardon’s article includes some additional info on potential candidates. Here are some highlights:

Hawks star Trae Young has long wanted to play for Team USA at a World Cup or Olympics, but hasn’t gotten the chance to do so yet. He’s optimistic he’ll get that chance now that Hill – a minority owner of the Hawks – is so involved in the process. “It’s exciting, knowing someone who has more of a say,” Young told Vardon.
Wizards star Bradley Beal missed the last World Cup due to the birth of his son and also had to sit out of the Olympics after contracting COVID-19, but he’s interested in playing for the team going forward. “I definitely see myself playing for USA,” Beal told Vardon. “That’s always been a goal of mine, obviously to play in the Olympics, but there’s a step to get there (the World Cup). So if it’s available to me, for sure.”
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen is receiving “heavy consideration” from Team USA officials, according to Vardon. Allen would be interested if he’s invited to take part, telling Vardon he would “take a lot of pride in representing us on a stage in front of the world.”
Confirming a previous report from Marc Stein, Vardon says Team USA is very interested in Joel Embiid, a native of Cameroon who has French and U.S. citizenship. USA Basketball hasn’t begun a formal recruitment of Embiid, but doesn’t want to see him join a French frontcourt that already features Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama.
Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Khris Middleton, and Zach LaVine are among the players who won gold with Team USA in Tokyo and would be welcomed back if they want to play in the 2023 World Cup, says Vardon.

Bucks Hope To Get Khris Middleton Back In November

October 17th, 2022 at 9:53am CST by Luke Adams

Bucks forward Khris Middleton is expected to miss the first few weeks of the regular season as he continues to recover from offseason wrist surgery, sources tell Shams Charania and Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

According to Charania and Nehm, the Bucks are hoping to get Middleton back in their lineup at some point in November. The team has six regular season games on its schedule for October, then 14 more in November.

Middleton had another productive season for Milwaukee in 2021/22, averaging more than 20 points per game (20.1) for a third straight season to go along with 5.4 RPG and a career-high 5.4 APG in 66 games (32.4 MPG). However, a sprained MCL sidelined him during the postseason and he was unavailable when the Bucks fell to Boston in a seven-game second round series.

In addition to Middleton, Pat Connaughton (calf strain) and Joe Ingles (ACL surgery recovery) will also be on the shelf for the Bucks to open the season, so the club will have to rely on its depth in the early going. Guards George Hill and Jevon Carter and wings Jordan Nwora and Wesley Matthews are among the players who could see increased roles in the coming weeks.

Bucks Notes: Middleton, Giannis, Lopez, Injuries

October 15th, 2022 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Khris Middleton wants to be on the court when the Bucks open their season Thursday at Philadelphia, but the decision will likely be made for him by the team’s medical staff, writes Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Middleton was knocked out of the playoffs by a sprained MCL in his left knee, but it was a torn scapholunate ligament in his left wrist that he suffered late in the season that forced him to have surgery.

Middleton said his legs feel rested after his first full offseason since 2019, but he’s not sure if he’ll get medical clearance to play in the opener.

“I would like to, but I’ve learned in the past to trust my training staff and doctors,” he said. “They know what they’re doing. This is my first time going through this and they’ve been through it many a times and they’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. So I’ve learned just listen to ‘em. I mean, you can push yourself, but don’t really.”

Middleton is starting his 10th season in Milwaukee, and his future with the organization is going to become an important topic at some point. He hasn’t decided what to do with his $40.4MM player option for next season, although he admits that staying with the Bucks is his first choice.

“I think everybody knows that,” he said. “Even though I know you’re really not supposed to say it for all the reasons out there, but I think everybody knows deep down that I want to stay. But also, you know it’s a business. Things change, things happen. You just never know. For sure I would love to stay. If everything works out … Of course if they give me whatever I want I’m there! I’m there.”

There’s more on the Bucks:

Coach Mike Budenholzer dismissed any concerns about the team’s 0-5 preseason, but Giannis Antetokounmpo said it shows there are areas that need improvement, Owczarski adds in a separate story. “Right now, I feel like we’re not vocal enough,” Antetokounmpo said. “We’re not urgent enough. We’re not hungry enough. But at the end of the day, it’s the preseason. We have the whole regular season to find ourselves.”
The preseason struggles might be a result of a new defensive scheme that Budenholzer is implementing, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. The Bucks are placing a greater emphasis on trying to prevent opponents from taking three-point shots. “I think it’s about finding that balance,” Brook Lopez said. “I don’t think it’s for lack of trying or anything like that. We’re figuring things out, and that’s what these preseason games are for, and I think we’re confident of the team we’re capable of being.”
The Bucks have some health concerns heading into the regular season, Nehm tweets. Pat Connaughton is “going to be a little bit” due to a calf injury, Budenholzer said. Thanasis Antetokounmpo has been sidelined with a non-COVID illness, and the team hopes Wesley Matthews will be cleared to return Monday.

Central Notes: Nesmith, Pistons Lineup, Middleton, Drummond

October 10th, 2022 at 10:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith is nursing a foot injury and his availability for opening night is in question, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.

Nesmith is expected to play a second-unit role after being acquired from the Celtics in the Malcolm Brogdon deal. Coach Rick Carlisle said the former first-round pick has “a plantar fascia issue.”

“He’ll miss some time,” he said. “The hope is that there’s a possibility he could be back for the opener, but we don’t know for sure. As the days go on, we’ll have a better feel for that.”

We have more from the Central Division:

The Pistons could alter their frontcourt lineup depending on matchups, according to Mike Curtis of the Detroit News. Recently acquired Bojan Bogdanovic will join Saddiq Bey at the forward spots with Isaiah Stewart in the middle against certain teams. When a bigger lineup is desired, Bogdanovic could come off the bench with Marvin Bagley III sliding into the starting five.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said Khris Middleton is “making progress” but “he’s still got a ways to go,” Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. The Bucks are hopeful Middleton will return early in the season after undergoing surgery in August to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist.
Bulls backup center Andre Drummond is looking to become a 3-point threat, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago writes. “It’s something that I spoke to the coaching staff in the summertime when I signed here, that it’s something that I’ve worked on, that I want to be able to stay on the floor, and I want to be able to add different facets to my game to be able to help this team win,” Drummond said. “And if I’m able to make that corner 3 when I’m wide open, it adds another element to our team.”

Central Notes: Middleton, Lopez, Stewart, Bagley, Bey

October 1st, 2022 at 9:33am CST by Dana Gauruder

Khris Middleton won’t be ready to play by opening night as he recovers from wrist surgery. Joe Ingles is still rehabbing from a major knee injury.

So who will step up in their place? Eric Nehm of The Athletic examines potential lineup combinations the Bucks may use in their absence. Pat Connaughton will likely start until Middleton returns, though Jordan Nwora and MarJon Beauchamp will have opportunities to establish themselves as rotation pieces. Wesley Matthews and Grayson Allen will fight for minutes at shooting guard.

We have more from the Central Division:

Middleton has a $40.4MM option on his contract for the 2023/24 season, while center Brook Lopez will be an unrestricted free agent unless he signs an extension. However, there hasn’t been any buzz about it at Bucks camp, Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. In fact, Lopez claims that “I wasn’t exactly aware this was a contract year” until the subject was brought up.
Isaiah Stewart and Marvin Bagley may be more suited to playing center but they’ll both see action at times at power forward this season, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. That will allow Nerlens Noel and rookie Jalen Duren to get some minutes off the bench. “It’s tough,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “What’s going to have to manifest itself is – it’s not natural right now – for Isaiah to kind of slide to the four just to open some spots for everybody.”
While most of the attention regarding the Pistons is focused on their young backcourt of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, third-year forward Saddiq Bey has served notice that he could be an offensive force this season, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic. “He’s putting the ball on the floor a lot better, finding guys a lot better,” reserve guard Cory Joseph said. “We know how he can score and the attention he’s going to get. He’s making the game better for himself and everyone around him right now. He’s playing really well.”

Eastern Notes: Avdija, Wizards, Hill, Middleton, Hornets

September 25th, 2022 at 7:25pm CST by JD Shaw

The Wizards are taking a cautious approach with Deni Avdija‘s groin injury, which he suffered during EuroBasket 2022, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets. Before ramping him up, Washington wants to make sure he’s fully healed. Avdija didn’t participate in competitive portions of the the team’s first training camp practice on Saturday.

The 21-year-old could receive a big role in the Wizards’ rotation this season, as he averaged 8.4 points and played all 82 games in 2022/23. He was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 draft.

Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference:

Bucks veteran George Hill seriously contemplated retirement this offseason, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. Instead, Hill decided to return to Milwaukee, committing to play his 15th NBA season. “I do owe the city a better George than last year,” he said. Given that he’s 36 years old and already considered it this offseason, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Hill retires at the end of the 2022/23 season.
The Bucks are hoping to get star swingman Khris Middleton back early in their season, general manager Jon Horst said, as relayed by Lily Zhao of FOX6 (Twitter link). The 31-year-old, who underwent surgery in August to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist, is doing well in his recovery, Horst added. Middleton is coming off his third straight season of averaging more than 20 points, having put up 20.1 points per contest on 44% shooting last year.
Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer examines five questions for the Hornets ahead of the preseason. Among the questions is what will happen to Miles Bridges, who remains a restricted free agent after being arrested for felony domestic violence back in June.

Central Notes: Pistons, Middleton, Bucks, Bulls

September 23rd, 2022 at 1:41pm CST by Luke Adams

As had been previously rumored, the Pistons are adding a pair of former NBA players to their coaching staff, announcing today that Keith Bogans and Rashard Lewis are coming aboard as player development assistants, writes Mike Curtis of The Detroit News.

The Pistons have also hired former Celtics assistant Brandon Bailey as a player development assistant and Brittni Donaldson – formerly of the Raptors – as an assistant coach and director of coaching analytics. The team announced a series of other promotions, including George David to associate general manager and Rob Murphy, Josh Bartelstein, and Tony Leotti to assistant GM.

Here’s more from around the Central:

As we previously relayed, the Pistons sent the Jazz some cash as part of the Bojan Bogdanovic trade. The exact amount, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), was $1,752,638, which is equal to the amount that Saben Lee is earning in 2022/23. That means, from a financial perspective, Utah essentially swapped Bogdanovic ($19.55MM) for Kelly Olynyk ($12.8MM this season, plus a $3MM partial guarantee in 2023/24) and will get a free look at Lee.
Khris Middleton could become a free agent as soon as next summer if he turns down a $40MM+ player option for 2023/24. While he’s not sure how his contract situation will play out, the standout wing tells Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he wants to stay with the Bucks long-term. “I think everybody knows that. Even though I know you’re really not supposed to say it for all the reasons out there, but I think everybody knows deep down that I want to stay,” Middleton said. “But also, you know it’s a business. Things change, things happen. You just never know. For sure I would love to stay, if everything works out.”
Eric Nehm of The Athletic poses a series of questions for Bucks players to answer this season, including whether Grayson Allen‘s playoff struggles vs. Boston were a fluke or a harbinger of things to come.
The Bulls will miss Lonzo Ball, one of their best two-way players, as he recovers from another knee procedure to open the season, but they have enough depth at point guard and don’t need to make a trade to fortify the position, opines Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

Central Notes: Hayes, Ball, Bucks, G League Trade

September 17th, 2022 at 9:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

Killian Hayes has to make progress as a scorer to show the Pistons he should be part of their long-term plans, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. After injuries limited him to 26 games as a rookie, Hayes bounced back to play in 66 last season, showing the defensive and passing skills that made him the No. 7 overall pick in 2020.

However, his scoring development remained stagnant as he averaged 6.9 PPG in 25 minutes per night while shooting 38.3% from the field and 26.3% from three-point range. Edwards believes Hayes needs to become more aggressive in getting to the basket, noting that he made 74% of his attempts at the rim last season, but that only accounted for 16% of his shots.

Edwards poses questions involving other Pistons players, asking whether Isaiah Stewart has become a legitimate three-point shooter, whether Saddiq Bey can balance his performance from his first two seasons and whether Saben Lee can find a way to stand out on a roster loaded with guards.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Lonzo Ball tops a list of Bulls players with the most to prove compiled by Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Ball may be held out through the start of the regular season because of pain in his surgically repaired left knee. The Bulls insist the knee is structurally sound, but his availability will play a massive role in where the team finishes in the Eastern Conference. Mayberry adds that the team also needs a bounce-back performance from center Nikola Vucevic, who’s heading into a contract year.
Unlike most of their competitors in the East, the Bucks didn’t make major changes this offseason and can rely on continuity as they make a run at another NBA title, per Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. Milwaukee still has the defensive foundation to contend for a championship, Gozlan adds, and Giannis Antetokounmpo remains one of the best players in the world. One financial concern that Gozlan points out is that the Bucks appear destined for the repeater tax next season, while Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez will both become unrestricted free agents in July if they don’t receive extensions.
In a press release, the Cleveland Charge – The Cavaliers‘ G League affiliate – announced the trade of Norvel Pelle and the Charge’s second-round pick to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (the Pacers‘ affiliate) in exchange for Nate Hinton.

Bucks’ Middleton Had Surgery For Torn Wrist Ligament

July 12th, 2022 at 7:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bucks All-Star forward Khris Middleton underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist in early July and is expected to be fully recovered near the start of the regular season, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Adrian Wojnarowski report (Twitter link).

This is a different injury than the one that kept Middleton out of all but two postseason games. He suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee during Game 2 of the opening round against the Bulls.

The wrist injury dates back to March when he missed some games due to soreness in his left wrist.

Middleton averaged 20.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 5.4 APG in 66 games during the regular season. Middleton is in the midst of a five-year, $177.5MM contract that runs through the 2023/24 season. He’ll make $37,948,276 next season.