National Basketball Association

Bucks player profile: Khris Middleton

Published Oct. 8, 2014 11:17 a.m. ET

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This is the tenth profile in a 15-part series running Wednesdays and Fridays profiling each Milwaukee Bucks player leading up to the start of the NBA season.

Playing for a struggling team can often provide an opportunity to players looking a chance to prove they can play in the NBA.

After playing sparingly during his rookie season with the Detroit Pistons, Khris Middleton benefited from an offseason trade to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Texas A&M product quickly flashed an ability to shoot the basketball and put the ball in the hoop, capitalizing on extended minutes to become a fixture in Milwaukee's starting lineup.

Middleton's next challenge is to show the Bucks his breakout sophomore campaign was no fluke, and he belongs in the team's future plans.

2013-14 stats: 12.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 44.0 FG %, 86.1 FT %, 41.4 3PT % over 30.0 MPG in 82 games

2014-15 salary: $915,243

Last year: Middleton was an afterthought to most in the deal that sent Brandon Jennings to Detroit and Brandon Knight to Milwaukee. But there was a reason why the Bucks insisted on Middleton being included as part of the return package.

A knee injury during his junior season at Texas A&M dropped Middleton into the second round of the draft, as some talent evaluators felt he could have been a first-round pick had he stayed healthy.

An ankle injury suffered by Ersan Ilyasova in the preseason allowed Middleton to see minutes at the power forward position as a stretch four in addition to playing small forward during the exhibition slate.

Middleton started the season opener against the New York Knicks and ended up starting nine of Milwaukee's first 16 games, averaging 10.5 points and shooting 41.2 percent from beyond the arc in November. He had a fantastic December, starting 14 of 15 games and averaging 14.6 points and hitting 47.7 percent of his 3-point attempts in the month.

Right as Middleton was hitting his stride, coach Larry Drew decided to shuffle the starting lineup. Middleton was shifted to the bench, while Luke Ridnour moved into the starting five. It was a puzzling move and one that threw Middleton off. He struggled coming off the bench and shot just 24.3 percent from deep in January.

Middleton returned to the starting lineup after the trade deadline and started Milwaukee's final 39 games. Once back as a starter, Middleton again found a rhythm. He shot 54.0 percent from beyond the arc in February en route to averaging 14.8 points.

Milwaukee's best outside shooter, Middleton finished 14th in the NBA in 3-point percentage at 41.4. He was the only Bucks player to appear in all 82 games and led the team in minutes played.

This year: Middleton is just 23 years old and appears on track to have a nice career in the NBA. If he fits long term with the Bucks remains to be seen. Giannis Antetokoumpo seems to fit best at small forward, while Jabari Parker is destined to play quite a bit at one of the forward spots.

Things were further complicated for Middleton when the Bucks acquired Jared Dudley from the Los Angeles Clippers, adding another sharpshooting small forward to the roster. Rookie Damien Inglis may not contribute much this season, but he projects to make an impact down the road at small forward. Milwaukee's rotation is still up in the air and that includes how much Middleton will play.

Middleton is one of the best shooters on the roster, if not the best. That alone will get him on the court. His primary position is small forward, but at 6-foot-8, Middleton can also play power forward if the matchup is right. There also has been talk of him playing shooting guard, which would certainly increase his playing time.

Set to make under $1 million in the final guaranteed year of his rookie contract, Middleton provides the Bucks with a great deal of value. Milwaukee will need to use the 2014-15 season to decide whether Middleton has a role with the franchise moving forward. Middleton proved he could score for a bad basketball team in desperate need of points. Now his challenge is to find his role on an improving roster.

Quoteable:

"Everybody has to fight for their spots, fight for their minutes in the rotation. We'll take it from there." -- Middleton on battling for a place in Milwaukee's rotation

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