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Khris Middleton could potentially leave Milwaukee for these teams
The season obviously didn’t end well for Khris Middleton and the rest of the Milwaukee Bucks. For a team that holds title aspirations and expectations, a first-round exit to an eighth-seeded Miami Heat squad that was already missing several of its top players is hardly ideal.
Given this disappointment, rumors have already started to swirl that Middleton could potentially leave the Bucks in free agency this summer. While the three-time All-Star does have a $40 million player option that he may pick up, here are a couple of teams that have sufficient cap space and the assets to snag the versatile two-guard.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets have been saving up cap space for a while, and now, with an estimated cap space of around $60 million, they have enough to pursue Middleton. Additionally, the Rockets have a plethora of talented players that they could include in a potential sign-and-trade deal—the most renowned of which is the high-flying Jalen Green.
The Rockets also have a good chance at snagging the top pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, which could mean getting a franchise-altering talent like Victor Wembanyama. And with rumors of superstar guard James Harden wanting to reunite with the Rockets, this could be the perfect time for the team to make a major splash in free agency.
Portland Trail Blazers
Portland superstar Damian Lillard has made it clear to the franchise he’s played for the last decade that he wants to win now rather than wait for the young players around him to mature and develop into consistent NBA players. And right now, there’s no better win-now player on the market than Middleton.
A three-level scorer with championship experience, Middleton could bolster a Portland backcourt that, at times last season, lacked a consistent scoring threat outside of Lillard. However, the Blazers’ chances of acquiring Middleton will lean on how they handle the enormous contract of small forward Jerami Grant.
