After an extended absence that felt like an eternity for Milwaukee Bucks’ fans, Khris Middleton's return couldn’t have come at a better time.
The Bucks’ early season turbulence—starting 2-8 before clawing back to 12-11—highlighted just how much this team missed its third assassin. And while the first two games back weren’t perfect, they were a vivid reminder of what Middleton brings to the table.
The Glue Milwaukee Needs
Middleton isn’t just a luxury for this team; he’s the glue that binds the roster’s lofty ambitions.
At 6-foot-8 with a high basketball IQ, Middleton fills multiple voids. Defensively, he won’t lock anyone down, but his size and length disrupt passing lanes and give Milwaukee an option against the wing-heavy contenders in the East—especially Boston. Just having Middleton on the floor shrinks the geometry of the court for opposing offenses.
Offensively, he’s a smooth, versatile scorer who can function as a release valve when defenses collapse on Damian Lillard or Giannis Antetokounmpo.
He's confident working at all three levels of the court. Whether it's posting up a smaller player, working in the mid-range following a screen or isolating on the three-point line, he brings the presence of a three-level scorer the Bucks lack in his absence.
It won't be all sunshine and rainbows to begin.
He'll have to knock off some rust. He made some plays in his first two games back. He calmly drained a pull-up three late in a close game against the Nets. He even hit a four-point play after being fouled shooting a three-pointer against the Celtics. It was the type of play that he was injured on last season when a defender got underneath him on a jump shot.
However, he only made five of his first 18 shots (27.8 percent). The rust is there, as he's playing his first games since the Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs eight months ago.
The Long Road Ahead
It won’t be a linear ascent back to All-Star form. The minutes restriction (apparently somewhere around 20 minutes per game) is a necessary precaution after offseason surgery on both ankles.
Middleton will need time to recalibrate his timing and rhythm, particularly in high-stakes moments. The Bucks, under Doc Rivers’ patient eye, seem committed to the long game, as they should be.
The version of Middleton they need isn’t the one shooting sub-30 percent right now; it’s the one who will hit dagger threes and make clutch plays in April, May, and—if all goes according to plan—June.
The Big Three
What makes Middleton’s return most intriguing is the potential synergy with Lillard and Antetokounmpo. Giannis and Dame have been building a stronger two-man game, blending Giannis’s downhill dominance with Lillard’s pick-and-roll wizardry. Adding Middleton as a third star could elevate this offense to unstoppable levels.
Unlike some stars who need the ball in their hands to thrive, Middleton excels in the gaps. He can spot up, isolate, or operate as a secondary playmaker, seamlessly fitting into the spaces Lillard and Antetokounmpo create.
The key is time—time to build chemistry, time to experiment, and, most importantly, time to stay healthy. Rivers has the challenge of orchestrating a lineup that maximizes all three stars without stepping on each other’s toes.
Middleton’s return marks the start of a critical chapter in the Bucks’ season. His presence alone boosts Milwaukee’s floor, but it’s his potential to raise their ceiling that makes this so exciting.
With the Eastern Conference as loaded as ever, the Bucks will need every ounce of Middleton’s shot creation, defensive length, and big-game poise.
The road to another championship isn’t going to be easy, and Middleton’s reintegration will take time. But the early signs are promising, and for a team with sky-high aspirations, that’s all you can ask for two games into his return.
The Bucks’ season may have started rocky, but with Middleton back in the fold, the pieces are finally coming together.