NBA: Ranking all 30 starting small forwards for 2017-18

7. Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks

Khris Middleton only played 29 games last year due to injury, but even as he struggled to shake off rust, his return was still a boon for a Milwaukee Bucks team that was almost sent reeling by Jabari Parker‘s devastating ACL tear.

In his limited time on the court, Middleton saw his scoring output shrink from 18.2 points per game in 2015-16 to 14.7 points per game, but he was still very efficient in a lesser role, shooting 45 percent from the floor and a career-high 43.3 percent from downtown on 3.6 attempts per game.

Now that he’s had a whole summer to shake the cobwebs off, Middleton figures to be a vital two-way piece for a team that has its sights set on a top-four seed in the East. Giannis Antetokounmpo is still the man in Milwaukee, but Middleton should play a more prominent role as a scorer, knockdown 3-point shooter and essential wing defender in 2017-18.