3 Bucks on the Chopping Block After Major Coaching Changes
The Milwaukee Bucks overhauled Doc Rivers' coaching staff over the weekend in an effort to return to championship contender status next season. Assistant coaches DJ Bakker, Sidney Dobney, and Josh Oppenheimer were dismissed on Saturday, leaving time to tell who Rivers will choose to fill the openings.
There's a decent chance that the changes in Milwaukee aren't done just yet. The 2024-25 year will be Rivers' first full campaign with the Bucks, meaning general manager Jon Horst will do everything in his power to give the head coach his preferred roster.
In other words, several players — those under contract and pending free agents — could be shown the door if it means coming closer to winning another title.
With that in mind, here are three Bucks who've found themselves on the chopping block.
1. Khris Middleton, SF
It's hard to imagine a world where Khris Middleton isn't playing for the Bucks. The former Texas A&M standout has played 712 games in Milwaukee jersey since being a part of the Brandon Jennings trade with the Detroit Pistons over a decade ago and has gone on to make three All-Star Games while playing a big role in the franchise's 2021 championship run.
But as tough as it might be to see Middleton playing elsewhere, it's a real possibility that Bucks fans must face this offseason.
If GM Horst wants the Bucks to take a major jump next season, he's not going to trade Giannis Antetkounmpo or Damian Lillard, who is working on chemistry this offseason. That means Middleton, who carries a $31.6 million cap hit in 2024-25, is the most likely candidate to be moved in a potential blockbuster.
It would've seemed silly to trade Middleton in past years, but his recent play has made him expendable. A variety of injuries have limited him to 88 regular-season games over the last two seasons. Although he still sunk 47.1% of field goals during that stretch, the 15.1 points that he averaged along with his 35.5% three-point percentage are much worse than what he's known for.
Middleton's production ramped up during this postseason, but that had more to do with Antetokounmpo and Lillard missing time. Chances are he won't average 24.7 points on .482/.355/.900 splits once the new season begins. If anything, the Bucks should capitalize on any elevated value if they're convinced that it'll make them better come October.
Even if not a lot of Bucks fans want to see Middleton moved, it's clear that it's in the team's best interest to at least see what options are available. The Charleston, SC native turns 33 in August and the last thing Milwaukee needs is for him to regress even more on his current price tag.