Atlanta Hawks: Is Khris Middleton Available?
By Nile Goodwyn
The Milwaukee Bucks have been disappointing NBA fans for the past two seasons. Could it be time to make one big move to try and make a playoff run?
The Atlanta Hawks will likely be buyers this 2017 NBA Trade Deadline. Take Mike Budenholzer’s word for it. He recently told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as much:
"“I just think we are considering how we can make this team better,” Budenholzer said recently. “Is there something that makes sense for two teams, two organizations? We are always balancing the short term with the long term.”"
The Hawks are in between being contenders in the East and being a team picking in the late lottery. The top of the Eastern Conference is loaded, and the Cavaliers sit on top of this throne.
The Milwaukee Bucks are similar to the Hawks in this sense. Their outlook seems to be reversed, though; the Bucks are closer to the bottom of the East than the top.
Two seasons ago, Khris Middleton looked to be one of the league’s premier shooting guards, and the new face of the Bucks alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. Today, Antetokounmpo is an All-Star and Middleton has become forgotten by a casual fan outside of Milwaukee. A gruesome hamstring tear in September 2016 benched Middleton up until early February 2017, all while Malcolm Brogdon became one of the league’s best rookies. This would not be an issue in most cases, but Brogdon is a shooting guard getting paid less than $1 million a year. Khris Middleton is a shooting guard getting paid $15 million a year.
Kent Bazemore signed a four-year, 70 million dollar deal last summer with the Hawks, and hasn’t lived up to the deal, to say the least. From November 20th to December 16th, Bazemore averaged 8.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Add a ghastly 29.8 percent shooting percentage, with a 23 percent from beyond the three-point line, and it is obvious that Bazemore was a disappointment. Since 2017, Bazemore has arisen, as he is averaging nearly 13 points per game, along with a 40 percent three-point percentage.
Could the Hawks and the Bucks make an intriguing move before the trade deadline?
Middleton’s injury history clouds his possible impact, and with the Bucks looking to make a final run, it may be in their interests to move him for a less injury-prone player. Meanwhile, the Hawks would be making a risky move that may not be so risky.
With Antetokounmpo leading the team in points and usage rate, positions are not truly set. Offensively, Middleton has shown he can play shooting guard and both forward positions. Bazemore could likely do the same thing in Jason Kidd‘s system, and possibly more. Bazemore and Middleton are similar defensive players, as of now, but Middleton’s injury potentially hampers his defensive capabilities.
The Bucks would also not lose anything from their shooting guard rotation, as Malcolm Brogdon has shown examples of what a second-round draft steal looks like. As a starter, Brogdon has averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game, almost resembling a point guard with his vision and attacking instincts,
For the Hawks, Middleton could be the guard version of Paul Millsap, if his injury allows. A note on his injury history: before his torn hamstring, he missed a total of six total games over three seasons as a Buck. He is an uber-effective scorer who was on the doorstep of the .50/.40/.90 Club, as he shot .45/.39/.89 during 2015-16. He is also one of the quietest stars the league has to offer, fitting in perfectly with the Hawks’ Spurs-esque style.
In this deal, both the Bucks and the Hawks would get minor changes, talent-wise, while possibly making drastic changes, style-wise.
Next: Finding Room For Mike Scott
Which team says no? Is this a win-win for both teams? What would either team have to add to the deal to make it work? Leave your thoughts and revisions in the comments!