NBA Rumors: Bucks' Khris Middleton Had 2 Offseason Surgeries on Ankle Injuries

Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton underwent a pair of "arthroscopic clean-up procedures" this offseason, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania and Eric Nehm.

Charania and Nehm reported the work addressed lingering issues in each of the veteran forward's ankles, and he's expected to be ready when the 2024-25 NBA season tips off.

The surgeries on their own aren't necessarily a cause for concern because Middleton's ankle trouble was already known. A sprained left ankle caused him to miss a little over a month in the regular season. Then he sprained his right ankle during Milwaukee's first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers.

The concern for the Bucks is broader since this is the third successive offseason in which Middleton had offseason surgery.

The three-time All-Star missed the first 20 games of the 2022-23 campaign thanks to a torn ligament in his wrist. He went under the knife again in June 2023 because of knee soreness that had dogged him for months. Now, it's the ankles.

Middleton remained an effective secondary scorer this year. He averaged 15.1 points on 49.3 shooting, including 38.1 percent on three-pointers. His 5.3 assists per game were third on the team as well.

With Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined against Indiana, the 32-year-old stepped up and nearly averaged a double-double (24.7 points and 9.2 rebounds), which wasn't enough to prevent the Bucks from losing in six games.

Middleton is a critical piece for Milwaukee, and much will be expected of him as the team looks to improve on its disappointing finish. The way in which his injuries are adding up will, however, raise some questions over whether his run of bad luck will continue.