Bucks star Khris Middleton will miss the start of the NBA season

As the Milwaukee Bucks head into the crucial 2024-25 season, they will be missing one of their most important players. It was announced on Monday that All-Star Khris Middleton will miss the team's season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday and the start of this NBA season in general. He averaged 15.1 points and 5.3 assists in 55 games last season.

ESPN's Shams Charania was the first to report it. Additionally, the insider noted that the Bucks are “cautiously pushing” Middleton toward a return. The sniper did not appear in the preseason and was not cleared for 5-on-5 training.

This is concerning for Milwaukee as Middleton is vital to their championship hopes. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard form a dangerous two-headed monster up front for the Bucks, but Middleton's ability to create space and serve as a secondary playmaker can set Milwaukee apart. For this reason, whether Middleton is healthy at the end of the season when the playoffs begin is far more important.

He has battled numerous injuries since helping the Bucks win an NBA title in 2020-21. Middleton has played in just 88 games over the last two seasons combined and underwent surgery on both ankles this offseason, which came as a surprise to the general public.

The Bucks are clearly making slow progress on Middleton as he recovers from those surgeries. But the more time the former All-Star misses, the more worrisome the situation becomes for Milwaukee. There's a lot coming up this year, and without Middleton on the roster it will be difficult to live up to expectations. That's exactly what they'll try to do at the start of the season.