Odds Heavily Favor Khris Middleton Re-Signing With Bucks in 2019 Free Agency

• Khris Middleton has a $13 million player option for the 2019-20 season that he will end up declining for a much bigger deal
• Middleton is coming off year four of a five-year, $70 million contract with the Bucks
• Re-signing Middleton should be the Bucks’ top priority this summer

Khris Middleton will have a big decision to make this summer. The Milwaukee Bucks star is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent.

Middleton will have no shortage of suitors, but sportsbooks believe he will ultimately return to Wisconsin, setting the odds of a Bucks reunion at -500. The online sportsbook also thinks there’s an outside chance he could join the Dallas Maverick’s, giving Mark Cuban’s clubs +400 odds of landing the All-Star forward.

Khris Middleton Free Agency Odds

Middleton Thrives in Milwaukee

Khris Middleton truly falls under the radar playing in a place like Milwaukee. Almost nobody around the NBA talks about him, but he puts up terrific numbers all season long. Middleton averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game during the regular season. He put up similar numbers in the Bucks’ postseason run, which ended in their loss to the Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals. He averaged 16.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per contest.

Khris Middleton said after the season ends, he usually takes a month off before returning to the court. “But it depends if I get bored sitting at home.” When it comes to his free agency, he said he will weigh what’s best for his family first and fit second.

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) May 27, 2019

Middleton is a great player. He isn’t a superstar, but he’s good enough where he’s going to get a huge contract this offseason. There’s a good chance he gets close to a max deal and the Bucks should be the team that gives it to him. The Bucks should and probably will offer him a max contract, and it would be a bit surprising to see him turn that down. You won’t win much money betting him at -500 to stay, but there’s a great chance he does.

“They’ve got the single best asset in the league in Giannis Antetokounmpo and he’s gonna have a decision to make: will he accept the supermax or will he decide to go elsewhere? You bring back Khris Middleton, Malcolm Brogdon, and Brook Lopez and you run it back.” — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/IHRiE3Q27T

— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) May 28, 2019

Any Value in Betting the Mavericks?

The team right behind the Bucks that will be offering Middleton a big contract will end up being the Dallas Mavericks. At +400 odds, there is definitely some value there. It’s not a lock at all he stays with Milwaukee, and he would be a good fit in the Mavs’ lineup. I would rather put my $50 on the Mavericks with those odds versus the -500 to stay with the Greek Freak and company.

Putting Middleton in a lineup with the young, rising star in Luka Doncic is a match made in heaven. Add Kristaps Porzingis in there, who is a restricted free agent, but expected to stay in Dallas, and the Mavericks immediately become a playoff team again.

The load is off Middleton’s shoulders to be a big-time scorer, because he’s got two guys in the lineup that will put up 20+ points per game. He would give them an elite defender and put up his 15 PPG and give them exactly what they need to be relevant again and take the spot of Dirk Nowitzki.

Pick: Dallas Mavericks (+400)