Khris Middleton given the green light, but when will he hit the court?

The Milwaukee Bucks have been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2024-25 season so far. They’re near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and things don’t look like they’re getting better any time soon. But there could be help on the horizon for the Bucks in the form of Khris Middleton who has been out due to injury recovery.

Khris Middleton has yet to make his 2024-25 Bucks’ debut as he rehabs from an ankle injury. But he has been medically cleared, and it’s become an issue of pain tolerance as per Shams Charania of ESPN.

Middleton has undergone multiple ankle surgeries and is not quite physically ready to resume play. The Bucks’ had hoped that Middleton would be ready for the beginning of the season, but that soon changed to Thanksgiving as being a possible target date, as per ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel.

Last season, Middleton was limited to only 55 games as he dealt with the injury bug. He averaged 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists with splits of 49.3 percent shooting from the field, 38.1 percent shooting from the three-point line and 83.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Amid injuries to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Middleton suited up in all six of the Bucks’ playoff games during their first round loss to the Indiana Pacers. During the playoffs, he averaged 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists with splits of 48.2 percent shooting from the field, 35.5 percent shooting from the three-point line and 90 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Middleton’s initial ankle surgery occurred in April right after the Bucks’ playoff loss. His second surgery occurred in June on his other ankle.

The Bucks have gotten off to a 5-9 start this season. They hired Doc Rivers last year after dismissing Adrian Griffin who started out the 2023-24 season at 30-13. There is obviously time for the Bucks to turn things around, but it’s got to start soon.

David Yapkowitz is a basketball journalist for ClutchPoints, writing news on the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA Basketball for both men and women. The Los Angeles native has bylines with Basketball Insiders, SB Nation, and The Next Hoops.