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The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the favorites to land a $177 million three-time All-Star.
According to the latest odds from Sportsbetting.ag, the Lakers have the fourth-best odds (+500) to acquire Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton. The small forward, who signed a five-year, $177.5 million contract with the Bucks in July 2019, has a player option worth $40.4 million for next season. Middleton would become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines that player option.
The Bucks had the best record in the Eastern Conference this season. However, they lost to the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs in five games. Middleton, 31, averaged 15.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists during the regular season while shooting 43.6% from the field, 31.5% from beyond the arc and 90.2% from the free-throw line. He only played in 33 games to injuries.
Middleton put up 23.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game in the Heat series.
NBA Sources Have Long Said to Keep an Eye on Khris Middleton’s Future
Matt Moore of The Action Network reported on April 27 that “NBA sources have long said to keep an eye on the Bucks and their future, particularly with Middleton, who will soon be 32 years old. He has a player option this summer and is seeking that last, great, large contract.”
The Lakers only have three players with guaranteed contracts for next season: LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Max Christie. If the front office doesn’t re-sign D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves and decides not to guarantee the contracts of Malik Beasley, Mo Bamba and Jarred Vanderbilt, Los Angeles may have enough money to go after Middleton if the Texas A&M product becomes a free agent.
“The Los Angeles Lakers have little decided for their roster for the 2023-24 NBA season,” Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report wrote on April 20. “Basically, it’s LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a boatload of vacancies. The Lakers could fill a lot of those holes with incumbents, either by bringing back their own free agents or picking up team contracts and fully guaranteeing deals with partial guarantees on them. It’s possible their degree of success this postseason could shape their desire to run it back with this bunch or not. They shouldn’t, however, feel completely locked into that strategy. At the least, they should check their external options in free agency. If they’re willing to walk away from a big chunk of this core, they could free up enough room to chase some of the top names on the market.”
How the Lakers finish the 2023 playoffs will likely determine what general manager Rob Pelinka does with the roster this summer. The purple and gold are currently up 3-2 on the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round.
The Rockets Could Go After Khris Middleton
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported on April 28 that the Houston Rockets could go after Middleton this summer. The Rockets are in the same conference as the Lakers.
Middleton has career averages of 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists with the Detroit Pistons and Bucks. He helped Milwaukee win the 2021 championship over the Phoenix Suns in six games.
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