Report: Celtics talking with Bucks about Khris Middleton

Report: Celtics talking with Bucks about Khris Middleton

By WEEI

According to ProBasketballDraft.com, the Celtics continue to prioritize finding a scorer. And one of the players they are discussing is Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton.

Middleton, who just signed a five-year extension, averaged 18 points per game last season. The 6-foot-8 swingman was a second-round pick of the Detroit Pistons in 2012, having starred at Texas A&M.

He has shot 39 percent or better from beyond the 3-point stripe in each of his last three seasons, while managing a career-high 88 percent clip from the foul line last season.

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very interesting

replacing Turner on our roster I would assume.

I wonder what the scuttlebutt of a deal is?

just throwing it out there.....#3, 23 for #10 and Middleton?

seems light on our end a bit

KDP,

Add James Young into the deal and it completely swings Milwaukee's way!


Do salaries have to match at this time of the year?

I brought up Bradley, Amir and #3 for Middleton, Henson and #10 a few weeks back. I said it depended on Kidd being enamored with either Dunn or Murray, most likely Dunn. If the Celtics could keep Bradley and include pick 16, Jerebko, Mickey and Rozier instead that would be awesome. 

Such a move does not solve the superstar issue, but it would upgrade both Bradley (if he were moved) and Amir's roles on the team while providing great bargain salaries for 25 year old guys who could be 3rd and 5th best players on a contender. 

Middleton is owed 15.2, 14.1 and 13 million the next 3 seasons before an opt-out he will almost certainly exercise. But he is under control for one season longer than Bradley. An 18ppg guy who can step in right away as the clear #2 scoring option to Thomas, hits 40% of his 3's and plays great D against shooting guards and solid/slightly above average D on SF's? That would make us so dangerous. 

Henson is owed 12.3, 11.4, 10.6 and 9.7 million over the next FOUR years. For a guy who can protect the rim (4 blocks per 36 mins), has had a PER of around 18 all 4 years he has been in the league and is entering his age 26 season that is a crazy bargain, 4/44 over the next 4 years is pretty much the same financial impact as those MLE deals we handed out to Sheed and J. O'Neal.

Ram wrote:I brought up Bradley, Amir and #3 for Middleton, Henson and #10 a few weeks back. I said it depended on Kidd being enamored with either Dunn or Murray, most likely Dunn. If the Celtics could keep Bradley and include pick 16, Jerebko, Mickey and Rozier instead that would be awesome. 

Such a move does not solve the superstar issue, but it would upgrade both Bradley (if he were moved) and Amir's roles on the team while providing great bargain salaries for 25 year old guys who could be 3rd and 5th best players on a contender. 

Middleton is owed 15.2, 14.1 and 13 million the next 3 seasons before an opt-out he will almost certainly exercise. But he is under control for one season longer than Bradley. An 18ppg guy who can step in right away as the clear #2 scoring option to Thomas, hits 40% of his 3's and plays great D against shooting guards and solid/slightly above average D on SF's? That would make us so dangerous. 

Henson is owed 12.3, 11.4, 10.6 and 9.7 million over the next FOUR years. For a guy who can protect the rim (4 blocks per 36 mins), has had a PER of around 18 all 4 years he has been in the league and is entering his age 26 season that is a crazy bargain, 4/44 over the next 4 years is pretty much the same financial impact as those MLE deals we handed out to Sheed and J. O'Neal.

that could work, who would you be looking at with #10 pick then?

Pick #10 could be used on a more traditional scoring big to pair with Henson like Poeltl or Sabonis (I think Ellenson is too similar to Olynyk), a swing for the fences upside pick like Skal, Davis or Maker, or used in a trade for a big. Like if Bradley was headed to the Bucks and the Sixers were high on Dejounte Murray or Wade Baldwin to fill one of their huge needs at guard maybe we could trade Mickey, Young and pick #10 for Noel?

Noel/Henson - long, athletic rim-protectors age 22 and 26

Olynyk - 7' who spaces floor with 40% 3 point shooting, age 25

Crowder - tough defender of 3's and 4's, glue guy, improving 3 point shooter, leader, amazing contract, age 26

Middleton - 40% from 3, replaces Bradley's D on SG's and Turner's shot creation/D on SF's on a great contract, age 25

Smart - does for the PG/SG positions off the bench what Crowder does for SF/PF spots, only 22, needs to drastically improve his shooting, but it is not yet a Rondo type epidemic, wants badly to win and can defend bigger PG's like Curry/Westbrook very well

Thomas - a 20ppg all-star who has his limits but will be more effective with these additions

Hunter/Rozier - One will emerge, depends on if Hunter can shoot 35-40% from 3 consistently, not be a liability on D and if the team needs to replace more of what Turner brought at SG when he shot 50% from 3 the 2nd half of the season or if the team will need to replace Turner's play-making off the bench (alongside Smart) and some of Bradley's tough D of guards more, in which case Rozier should get the nod. 

Solid 8 man rotation right there with room for one more versatile forward to be added to the mix. Chandler Parsons or Harrison Barnes make a lot of sense (if Durant stays in OKC for at least one more year as we all assume he will).

If Durant wants to come here summer of 2017 and the Parsons/Barnes contracts inhibit the C's from giving him 30+ million per year then either of them should be easily movable. Barnes more so b/c he is younger and will be paid less (17-19m compared to like 19-22m).

I think if those rumors are true I would rather try

#3 & 16 picks for
Middleton and #10 pick.

then I am back to an earlier scenario where Danny can get Poeitl at #10.

even though many don't like the idea here, I would think hard about giving P. Gasol a two year deal at $20M per year (no longer at his age though). I do feel he would better value than Horford at 4 years for $20M each myself.

Gasol would be a good mentor for Poeitl, IMO. and give him two years before he would be expected to be a front line starter.

that team would be at or just below the cap and could look something like:

P. Gasol- FA
Poeitl- #10 pick
Amir
Kelly O.
Mickey
Jerebko
Crowder
T. Prince- #23 pick
Middleton- trade
Bradley
Smart
Thomas
Rozier
Hunter

Young, #31 or 35 pick battle for final roster spot ( one of the picks would be a Euro draft and stash).


That is a pretty strong team next year without mortgaging the future youth, IMO.

we'll see if the story has any legs soon I guess.

scuttlebutt seems to be strong on the Middleton rumor, for what that's worth.