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The Milwaukee Bucks appeared to be on their way to a potential title defense in 2021-22 but an injury to Khris Middleton in the playoffs derailed that dream. Middleton suffered a knee injury in the postseason but also had wrist surgery in the offseason. Here are the latest updates on the Milwaukee guard.
Khris Middleton injury updates
December 1 update - Middleton plans to make his 2022-23 season debut Friday against the Lakers, per Adrian Wojnarowski. The Bucks have held their own without Middleton but will gladly welcome the two-way star back as they get into the middle stretch of the season.
ESPN Sources: Milwaukee Bucks All-Star forward Khris Middleton plans to make his season debut vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday (ESPN, 7:30 PM ET). Middleton has been recovering from July surgery on his left wrist. The Bucks are 15-5, second in the East.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 1, 2022
November 30 update - Middleton is close to making his return, and could even come back as soon as Friday’s nationally televised game against the Lakers.
Sources: Two notable injury updates:
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 30, 2022
- Bucks star Khris Middleton is nearing his season debut, potentially as soon as Friday vs. Lakers.
- 76ers star James Harden is targeting return on current three-game road trip, likely in Houston on Monday.
November 14 update - We’ve hit the middle of November and there’s still no concrete update on Middleton’s status. He did go through some G-League games earlier in the month but there was no follow-up after that stint. It’s hard to tell whether he’s suffered a setback or whether he hasn’t received full clearance. The Bucks have been humming along without him, so they aren’t in a huge rush to bring him back.
October 21 update - The Bucks expect Middleton to return to the team by the middle or end of November, according to Shams Charania. The guard is recovering from a wrist issue he had surgery for during the offseason.
What's the impact on the Bucks not having Khris Middelton for a few weeks? @ShamsCharania, @camronsmith, and @PatGarrity8 discussed on ITA pic.twitter.com/pFMjf2GoxU
— Stadium (@Stadium) October 21, 2022
October 17 update - Middleton is expected to miss the first few weeks of the regular season as he recovers from a wrist injury, according to Shams Charania. The guard said he won’t be ready to open the season already, so this is not exactly breaking news. However, it does leave the Bucks a bit thin in the backcourt with Pat Connaughton also sidelined for about three weeks.
Middleton admitted at media day he wouldn’t be ready for the regular season opener, which is October 20. That means he’s still got about a month of recovery time at a minimum, putting him out of preseason action too. The shooting guard said he hopes to be back near the beginning of the season but the Bucks know how important he is to their title hopes and will take the cautious approach. Middleton likely misses a week of regular season time at a minimum, so we could see him in that final week of October or the beginning of November.