10 biggest player option decisions of the 2023 NBA offseason
By Lior Lampert
Biggest player option decisions of the NBA offseason: 2. Khris Middleton
Khris Middleton may not be the second-best player on this list, but his player option holds a lot of weight for how the rest of the offseason will transpire. If Middleton leaves the Bucks, there will be plenty of questions surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the team and the team’s ability to build a contender around him.
Turning 35 years old in August, Middleton is coming off an injury-riddled season. He had surgery on his wrist last July which forced him to miss a large chunk of the regular season. Once he finally made it back onto the court, he suffered a knee injury that forced him to monitor it closely throughout the year and miss even more games. This season, Middleton played 33 out of a possible 82 games.
Injury concerns aside, there is no denying that Middleton is one of the NBA’s premiere two-way wings. He is a mid-range assassin on the offensive end who can create his own shot off the dribble, but he doesn’t need the ball in his hands to make an impact. A career 38.8 percent 3-point shooter, Middleton has a smooth shooting stroke and can light it up from deep.
Additionally, Khris Middleton has shown an ability to operate as a playmaker and get his teammates involved. Last season, Middleton averaged 4.9 assists per game in just over 24 minutes per game. Although, he has averaged at least six assists per game in three of the four seasons before this past season in which he was forced to play a reduced role due to injury.
It will be very fascinating to see how things play out with Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Bucks if he does indeed choose to opt out of his $40M player option for next season. While Middleton may not get offered that type of yearly salary in free agency, he could get long-term contract security.