NBA 2022 Draft: Milwaukee Bucks GM Jon Horst provides an update on all-star Khris Middleton

By Team Newsable | First Published Jun 19, 2022, 4:00 AM IST

In an NBA 2022 off-season press conference, Milwaukee Bucks GM Jon Host updated Khris Middleton’s injury status and what the Bucks may do with their first-round pick.

Before the 2022 NBA playoffs started, many picked the Milwaukee Bucks to go to the Finals following their championship run in 2021. However, the Bucks were dealt an enormous blow when all-star Khris Middleton went down with an injury in only the second game of the first round. Middleton wouldn’t return, and even though the Bucks fought bravely, they lost in seven games to the eventual finalists, the Boston Celtics.

Bucks fans were given good news about Middleton’s status, as GM Jon Horst gave an injury update. “He’s great. He’s been here a ton. He’s been in town most of the time. Looks great. He is starting to ramp up his core work, lifting, and everything. He’s fine. There are no lasting effects of the injury, and he’s in a great spot,” he said.

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Being a contender, the Bucks have been open to trading their first-round pick in the past. GM Horst is again open to the idea, as he said, “During my time as GM, I think we’ve made two first-round picks. So, what I have learned about it? I think you want to maximize the value of the asset.”

“That asset for us, chopping it up differently, has become PJ Tucker and Grayson Allen. Other Draft picks became Niko Mirotić and Donte [DiVincenzo], who, relative to his Draft [position], had a huge impact over his three-and-a-half years with us as an impact player. I think you can maximize the value of that asset relative to the need on your team in different ways,” added Horst.

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“It can be trading it outright for something that can help you, attaching it for something that can help you, or drafting a player that’s ready now and can grow with you. It doesn’t mean we wouldn’t draft a player that can’t contribute now and has a big-time horizon and big upside,” Horst continued.

“That’s something we’ll always look at. But, I think those other options, in the past, have been more attractive to us, and I think we’ve gotten great benefit out of it, and I think we’ll continue to focus on those. That’s really what’s going right now this time of year is you’re just trying to generate as many options as you can to evaluate and hopefully make a good decision,” concluded Horst.

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