Why did Milwaukee Bucks Khris Middleton act

On February 6, 2025By Littum

Giannis Antetokounmpo pulled on his hagg hair and made eye contact with Khris Middleton, who rocked Gold Larry O’Brien Trophy.

We did, right? We f — g did it! We f — g did it!

Middleton tightened his head, nodded, smiled broadly and laughed before the couple embraced the Fiserv Forum Court on July 20, 2021, when the celebration began for the NBA championship in 2021.

They did.

Giannis and Khris.

Wisconsin Sports Legends, a duo at all times that ranks in front of yes, even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson in franchise history. They spent nearly 12 full seasons together, almost 700 games, three shared All-Star Games and built Bucks from a 15-Win season in 2013 to a fixture on top of the NBA. Countless pick-and-roll lobes, fadeaway jumpers and inbound passes to the edge to get a can.

But Middleton also stood high on its own.

If Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP Award existed in 2021, he would have it when he helped Bucks overcome the loss of Antetokounmpo to a knee injury against Atlanta. And Middleton turned into one of the most coupling performance in NBA history during this race with 15 game-binding or go-ahead shots in the fourth quarter and overtime of 25 years.

Only LeBron James (2007) had just as many.

Middleton is one of three players who won an Olympic gold medal as a member of Bucks representing the United States in Tokyo just after beating Phoenix in the final. He set the franchise record for three-pointers and three-point attempts. He is # 2 in play, minutes played and defensive rebounds, # 3 in scores and assists, and # 5 in stealing.

He told the journal Sentinel after signing for three years and up to $ 102 million last season as an unlimited free agent, as Milwaukee was where he would be and where he would retire.

But time comes for everyone.

Bucks acquires Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr. From Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson

And the time to end the symbiotic partnership between Antetokounmpo and Middleton came to mind on Wednesday of General Manager Jon Horst and head coach Doc Rivers, who traded Middleton and AJ Johnson to Washington for Kyle Kuzma and Patrick Baldwin Jr. And read further into pairing Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

As a “other apron” tax -paying team, Bucks faced guard building penalties created by the new collective negotiation agreement, but ultimately demanded their stagnation in the position and a general evening of confidence in Middleton effectively them to act undoubtedly the third greatest player in franchise history.

Kuzma earns approx. 11 million dollars less than Middleton in disguising accounts this season and is on a falling contract over the next two years, so this step gives Bucks some future flexibility. Patrick Baldwin Jr., also part of the deal, earns only $ 2.3 million this year, and Bucks now has team opportunities over his next two seasons if they choose to keep him on the guard schedule.

The plan, with the re -signing of Middleton and Lopez in the summer of 2023, was to give the core one last shot. The bad choice of Adrian Griffin as the head coach and the unexpected addition of Lillard changed the timeline and perhaps the effectiveness of this plan.

Mounting damage was a factor

And although Middleton was excellent in the playoffs in 2024 against Indiana (24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists) without Antetokounmpo and together with Hobbede Lillard – on two ankles required offseason operation, no less – the effect of Middleton’s mounting physical problems became harder to ignore.

On his part, Middleton even wondered about his future as the injuries fitted.

At a quiet moment last season he told the journal Sentinel, the last time he injured an ankle as badly as he did against Phoenix in February – which was in the summer of 2013 – he was traded.

He hoped the story would not repeat itself.

But despite operations out of season on both ankles, Bucks Middleton felt would be ready to play on opening night on October 23rd. However, he was not. And Middleton was bothered by a leak to ESPN that he was “medically cleared” to play at the end of November. He returned to court on December 6th.

How long did the Middleton take to return from injuries gnawed some teammates the wrong way over the years, and the same frustrations mounted at the beginning of this year – especially when Bucks fought through the first month of the season.

Spending more time coming from the bench

What’s more, this process did not go to rivers, and the two were in odds over Middleton’s starting status and playing time at the start of the new year. Even Antokounmpo and Lillard were publicly powerful in their support of Middleton’s move to the bench on January 8 against San Antonio.

And despite the fact that it was an important member of Milwaukee’s first championship team of five decades, it had become clear that Bucks was better priesting, either when Middleton came from the bench or in rotations that did not include him with antetocounmpo and Lillard in long stretches .

Although it is true that Star Trio did not get much time together during rivers due to injury and illness to all three, Bucks Bucks chose to make a big step now as opposed to waiting until the summer.

Under the Governorship of Wes Edens and the new eyes of co -owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam, Horst has been empowered to rotate the identity of this team on the Axis of Antetokounmpo while continuing to compete for another championship. Acquiring Lillard was the first step. Trade Middleton, the next.

It is possible that this trade better positions the team for the next two or three years to do so. Only time will show.

What is known is that this marks the end of an incredible partnership that rarely lasts so long in the current sports climate.

Antetokounmpo and Middleton embodied Milwaukee: Underhunds from the beginning, their partnership drove a long way, and it had to be done the hard way with hard work.

But they f — g did it.