Khris Middleton Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz and Speculation on Bucks Star
After a disappointing 2015-16 season, the Milwaukee Bucks need to make changes to their roster and could put Khris Middleton, a young and valuable asset, on the market this summer.
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Report: Celtics Inquired About Middleton
Wednesday, June 22
Per ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Boston Celtics inquired about Middleton before the Bucks rejected whatever the proposed deal would have been.
The Celtics figure to be one of the most active teams leading up to and during Thursday's draft because they have eight picks, including the No. 3 overall pick and two more in the first round.
However, Stein's report noted the Celtics were "rebuffed in their efforts to assemble a sufficiently enticing deal" involving four key targets, including Middleton, Jimmy Butler, Gordon Hayward and Jabari Parker, for the No. 3 pick.
The big story there is that a team such as the Bucks, which missed the playoffs, doesn't want the third overall pick. This draft is built around Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram, with no clear option after them.
Middleton does make sense as a target for the Celtics. He's just 24 years old, is signed through 2018-19 with a player option for 2019-20 and just had the best year of his career. The former Texas A&M standout averaged a career-high 18.2 points and 4.2 assists in 79 games.
The Bucks struggle to score points, finishing 25th in scoring average last season, so trading their leading scorer doesn't make sense if they want to take a step forward in 2016-17. There may come a point when Middleton is worth trading, but the Celtics need to offer more if they want to make it happen.
