Mavericks Veteran Reveals Reason For Staying Despite Interest From Playoff Teams

The Dallas Mavericks are nearing the end of the season, as they only have 12 games remaining and are nowhere near the postseason. Most fans have already started to look to next season, as the only thing left to watch this year is the Rookie of the Year race between Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets.

One thing to watch for this offseason is Khris Middleton's pending free agency. Middleton was the biggest reason the Dallas Mavericks were able to trade Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards, as he had a large enough contract. Dallas gave him the option to buy him out so he could sign with a contender, but he chose to stick around with the Mavs.

Some may wonder why, but he explained it to the media at the Mavs Ball on Thursday night.

"I love the city of Dallas, I’ve been here before…I’m familiar with Dallas, I love the area," Middleton said. "As far as the organization, it’s been great. I stayed here for a reason, I like where things are headed here…I like the way they’re trying to do things here, so we’ll see what happens.

︀︀“I think it just vibes me the best options…I did have a chance to chase and go for a playoff run with a couple contenders, but I thought all in all it’s best to stay where I was at and finish out the season.”

There are a couple of other reasons for Middleton staying around. He played under Jason Kidd with the Milwaukee Bucks, so there's a level of comfort and familiarity there already. Staying under contract also keeps his Bird Rights alive, which will give him a few more options this offseason for sign-and-trade scenarios.

Khris Middleton on if he can see himself playing in Dallas for the future:

“For sure. I love the city of Dallas, I’ve been here before…I’m familiar with Dallas, I love the area. As far as the organization, it’s been great. I stayed here for a reason, I like where things are… pic.twitter.com/yV4TXQPnRu
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) March 20, 2026

Khris Middleton - Valued Veteran

If nothing else, the Mavericks love having Khris Middleton as a veteran on this roster. Even if he says there's nothing more he can teach Cooper Flagg, having someone who is familiar with Jason Kidd is a huge benefit. Every quality team needs a few valuable veterans, and the Mavs certainly have that with Kyrie Irving, Khris Middleton, and Klay Thompson.

Dallas would like to have Middleton back next season for the right price. They're not trying to immediately handicap themselves financially after just breaking free from the Anthony Davis mess. Having his Bird Rights would help get a larger contract for him, and they could possibly get an asset in a trade, if they choose to explore that route.

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