Following an auspicious year, and him landing a spot on the All-Star Game, Khris Middleton was reportedly declining his player option and decided instead to become an unrestricted free agent. This means that NBA teams can offer him a max contract, and reports have confirmed that it is what he is looking for as well.
Middleton turned down his $13 million player option with the Milwaukee Bucks. Nevertheless, the two parties are still in negotiation in order to land the 27-year-old forward a sizeable contract. Middleton's season was quite an impressive one, and with an All-Star appearance in his belt, it would be easy for him to command a max contract, not only with the Buck but with the rest of the league as well.
As an unrestricted free agent, Middleton is eligible for a five-year contract with the Bucks with an estimated haul of around $190 million. Should he decide to bring his talents outside of Milwaukee, he is eligible for a four-year contract with an estimated worth of around $141 million.
The Bucks has a lot on its priority list coming into the next season. The team has a number of free agents including Brook Lopez, Malcolm Brogdon, and Nikola Mirotic. All these three players are key to the team's rotation, and it would be wise for the Bucks management to land them a contract.
The Bucks has already started moving some of its assets following the recent trade which sent Tony Snell to the Detroit Pistons. Details of the trade have yet to surface, but sources claim that the trade was done in order to clear some cap space as the team heads towards free agency. It would appear that the Bucks might end up re-signing its key free agents after all.
The list of unrestricted free agents is growing by the day. Notable names like Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Julius Randle, and Harrison Barnes are now on the market. En route to earning his spot on the NBA All-Star roster, Middleton averaged 18.3 points, 6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds this season.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the charge, the Bucks had the league's best record, and they were able to punch their ticket for the Eastern Conference championship. While the team displayed a valiant effort against the eventual champions, the Toronto Raptors, they eventually fell after six games following a heart-stopping clinch jump shot courtesy of Kawhi Leonard.
