Khris Middleton
AGE: 24 SIZE: 6-foot-8, 234 pounds
LAST YEAR’S STATS: 18.2 points; 3.8 rebounds; 4.2 assists; 1.7 steals
REMAINING CONTRACT: 4 years (final year player option), $55.3 million ($13.8 million/year average)
No questions asked, Khirs Middleton is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. He’s a knock-down three-point shooter, he’s upped his per-game scoring averages each year of his career and he took a significant leap forward as a distributor this season, nearly doubling his assist averages.
The issue, though, is how the Nuggets persuade the Bucks to give up Middleton when they aren’t willing to give up the one thing Milwaukee needs: a point guard.
Sure, Jason Kidd and the Bucks would love to craft a trade centered around a swap that would bring Emmanuel Mudiay up north, but there’s no way the Nuggets would do that for Middleton alone.
What’s more likely is a trade centered around the seventh pick, contingent on Chris Dunn, the draft’s consensus top point guard, falling to No. 7. Despite his questionable shooting stroke, Dunn would be an immediate upgrade over Michael Carter-Williams, and his defensive ability and length would fit in perfectly with what the Bucks are trying to do.
Conversely, the Nuggets would be getting an elite-shooting two guard to spread the floor for Mudiay and jumpstart Denver’s offense.
What would it cost?: The 7th pick and …
