With Giannis Antetokounmpo at his peak, the Milwaukee Bucks are title contenders entering the 2024-25 season — but everything has to go right around their superstar. They have no margin for error.
This is not a good start. Khris Middleton will miss the start of the season for Milwaukee as he recovers from surgeries on both ankles this offseason, a story that comes as no surprise — Middleton didn’t play in the preseason — but was officially broken by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Middleton has not yet been cleared for 5-on-5 full contact practices, and the Bucks are “cautiously progressing Middleton toward a return,” sources told Charania.
The Bucks are optimistic that continuity and a full season under coach Doc Rivers will have them in title contention, but a lot of things have to go right: Damian Lillard, at age 34, has to rebound from a rough season by his standards; Brook Lopez, 36, needs to show he hasn’t lost a step and can still anchor a top-level defense; and new additions Gary Trent Jr., Delon Wright and Taurean Prince should provide depth that team has lacked.
And Middleton needs to return to form and be the third shot creator and scoring option on this team. It’s a long season, he has time, but this is not an ideal start.
