Report states Milwaukee Bucks' duo of Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez are likely to stay

The Milwaukee Bucks are a team that faces a lot of questions involving their roster this season. Although superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is locked in for the next season, some of their most important players—big man and defensive anchor Brook Lopez and All-Star wingman Khris Middleton—have decisions to make this offseason. However, a report from NBA insider Mark Stein indicates the two may be returning to the Bucks to try for redemption after such a bitter end this season.

Assuming they’ll stay

According to Stein, there’s a working assumption going around that the two veterans are going to stay in Milwaukee. However, he added that it might be all conjecture considering the Bucks don’t know how much these moves will cost them.

“The working assumption around the league is that both Middleton and Lopez will stay in Milwaukee,” wrote Stein. “But even that comes with considerable uncertainty because A) no one knows yet how much it will cost to re-sign them and B) if the Bucks will have any flexibility to make the moves they need to make to freshen up the rest of the roster.”

Lopez—who was named to the All-Defense First Team this season—will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, while Middleton has a lucrative player option worth $40.3 million, which he is rumored to decline, making him a free agent as well.

Both are hard to replace

It will be hard to imagine this Bucks squad contending for the NBA title without Lopez and Middleton. After all, the two were key cogs of the Milwaukee squad that won it all in 2021. Despite his age, Lopez remains one of the league’s best rim protectors, while Middleton’s versatile playmaking and shooting have been integral to the Bucks offensive success.

The Bucks are also in a tricky position where they might need to pay more than their market value for both Lopez and Middleton due to their importance to the team. The Bucks will likely look to add some veteran pieces around them in order to contend next season, but they’ll need to be careful not to sacrifice too much of their future cap flexibility in the process.