Free agency has become one of the most popular times of the year for NBA fans.
The movement of players around the league has become such a regularity that massive trades and big-name players signing with new teams are expected.
On Tuesday, September 13, there are still plenty of good free agents available, but for the most part, that time of year has now ended as everyone is awaiting the new season (35 days away).
Now that the free agency craze has cooled down, it’s a good time to look into next summer’s class of potential free agents.
One name that sticks out is Chris Middleton, who is a three-time NBA All-Star for the Milwaukee Bucks.
The former Texas A&M star began his career as a rookie on the Detroit Pistons, but other than that season, he has played the last nine years with the Bucks.
He has a player option in his contract at the end of next season, so he can either opt-out and become an unrestricted free agent or opt-in for one more season at just under $40.4 million.
This past season, he made his third trip to the All-Star Game and averaged a very impressive 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game on 37.3% shooting from the three-point range.
He is arguably their most important player behind two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks lost in the second round of the NBA Playoffs to the Boston Celtics this past season, and Middleton did not play in the series. due to a knee injury.
In 2021, he was a big reason why they made the NBA Finals and ultimately won the NBA Championship over the Phoenix Suns.
This is an intriguing situation because the Bucks are among the best teams in the NBA.
They will need Middleton to continue being a contender for the foreseeable future.
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