Khris Middleton joined the Milwaukee Bucks’ practice on Wednesday morning as he continues recovering from surgery on both of his ankles during the offseason.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said he understands if Middleton feels frustrated, as he missed his 21st straight game, this time against the Atlanta Hawks.
Rivers had mentioned multiple times in recent weeks that he and his staff believed the three-time All-Star was close to making his season debut. On Wednesday, he said that the situation is likely becoming mentally tough for Middleton.
“Anybody who wants to play, and Khris is one of those (guys), they’re frustrated,” Rivers said. “That’s mentally challenging. You see your team playing and although we’re playing well right now, I imagine when we were really struggling and he wasn’t playing that had to be really hard for him. You want to help your team, and he knows he can.”
The Bucks started the season 2-8, but they are now on a seven-game winning streak and have a record of 11-9, which places them fifth in the Eastern Conference.
Middleton took part in a five-on-five session during practice on Wednesday morning.
“If it felt right, he’d be playing, obviously,” Rivers said. “There’s no answer. He’s working his butt off and doing all the stuff he’s supposed to do. He’s just yet to get on the floor. We feel like that’s coming soon, and you’ve heard that before. We’re just hopeful it’s really soon.”
When fully healthy, the 33-year-old Middleton has proven to be an important contributor, although injuries limited him to 55 games last season and 33 games in the 2022-23 season.
Rivers said it’s clear that Middleton, who has spent 11 of his 12 years in the NBA with the Bucks and was a key player on the 2021 team that won their first NBA title in 50 years, is eager to return to playing.
“I don’t think this is an easy stretch for Khris by any means,” Rivers said. “I’d rather play in a game than in a group of five the morning of a game, I know that. I think this is hard.”
