With each basket Milwaukee Bucks swingman, Khris Middleton poured in during the 2014-15 season, “For the Love of Money” by The O’Jays would blast across the Bradley Center PA system.
Whether he was playing for the love of money or for the love of the game, Middleton’s on-court performance and the immense improvements he has made — on both ends of the floor — since entering the association in 2012, has earned the 6’8″ sharp-shooting wing a whopping new contract worth more than $70 million over five years.
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While the figure may seem daunting — as Middleton is set to make $14 million per annum — when taking into account the forthcoming league-wide cap boom, the Bucks will actually receive the services of the former second-round pick out of Texas A&M at a relative bargain.
Khris Middleton and the Bucks have finalized their five-year, approximately $70 million deal, league source confirms.
— Ken Berger (@KBergNBA) July 1, 2015
If the 2015 NBA Finals serves as any indication, players like Khris — specifically, versatile shooters who can play and defend upwards of three positions — are arguably the most valuable commodity, second only to the league’s select crop of superstar-level players, in all of basketball.
Middleton is not just your run-of-the-mill 3-and-D wing, either. He is unequivocally an upper-echelon perimeter hybrid who defends and nails 3s at an elite rate.
In fact, he ranked 10th in the NBA in spot-up shooting efficiency this past season, posting a 1.20 PPP (points per possession) and scored on a eFG%* (effective field goal percentage) of 60.4 percent while spotting up, per NBA.com.
*eFG% = (FG + 0.5 * 3P) / FGA
On the other end, Middleton has quietly developed into one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. According to ESPN’s defensive RPM (real plus/minus) stat, the 23-year old ranked as –by far — the most effective defender at the shooting guard position last year, with Wesley Matthews and Danny Green trailing the Charleston, S.C., native.
14 million for Khris Middleton is great, he should have been all defense this season.
— Alexander Prendes (@AlexPrendes) July 1, 2015
His traditional anecdotal output may not exactly wow you, as his per game averages have hovered around 12-13 points, four rebounds, and two assists over the last two seasons; however, since the Bucks unloaded ball-dominant lead guard Brandon Knight at the NBA trade deadline last year, Middleton increased his production to 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game post-All-Star break.
Even more importantly, Middleton — along with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Michael Carter-Williams — fully embodies the identity of the Milwaukee Bucks. Specifically, all three are long, versatile two-way pterodactyls capable of carrying out the Bucks’ switch-heavy, stress-inducing defensive scheme.
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Taking a gander around the NBA free agency landscape, you will quickly notice offensive-minded lead guards — namely, Brandon Knight and Goran Dragic — are receiving just as much, if not more, money than Middleton.
On the other hand, elite two-way wings, like Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler, signed contracts worth $20 million and $25 million, respectively, more than Middleton over five years.
Meanwhile, a player of a similar ilk, in DeMarre Carroll, garnered more than $17 million a year (over four years) with the Toronto Raptors.
When considering the above outpour of money league-wide, as well as his age, learning curve, and impact — both, offensively and defensively — Middleton’s deal with the Bucks could look real economical two years down the line.
Milwaukee still has a gaping hole in the middle, however; as incumbent starter Zaza Pachulia is better served coming off of the bench. But with a healthy Jabari Parker returning next year, the Bucks should be poised to build on the accelerated success they enjoyed last season.
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