Dallas Mavericks forward Khris Middleton arrived to town from the Washington Wizards, in the deal that sent Anthony Davis (and others) back east. At face value, the motive was to move off Davis’ future money and reset the books. The team accomplished that as the contracts of three of the four players, including Middleton, expire this summer. Many assumed that the 34 year-old would immediately negotiate a buyout with the Mavericks front office, opening up the opportunity to join a contender for a playoff run.
That didn’t happen, and Middleton has played in four games with the Mavericks since the trade. But it doesn’t mean it won’t happen. According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, the team has left it up to Middleton whether he would like a release. The catch is he’ll need to be waived by March 1, Sunday, to be eligible for the playoffs. In his piece for The Stein Line he also notes, “the 34 year-old scored 25 points in the Mavericks’ win Sunday at Indiana and — as has been conveyed to Middleton — Dallas will certainly still have a need for shooting next season”.
The former second round pick (selected 39th in 2012) has an accomplished career, nearly all of it spent with the Milwaukee Bucks. There he was a three-time all star and 2021 NBA Champion. In his prime he was a two-way, do-it-all forward who balanced Giannis Antetokounmpo in impactful ways. And up through his championship season, was mostly available and playing all season long.
Injuries have marred the back part of his career however, and after 11.5 seasons with the Bucks he was moved to Washington at the 2025 trade deadline in a deal that sent Kyle Kuzma to Milwaukee. The 6’7 forward played just 48 games in Washington, all as a starter, but is certainly limited in his contribution compared to the height of his career.
That doesn’t mean he has nothing to offer. As evidenced by Sunday’s game referenced by Stein, Middleton can still be a shooter off the bench, one who plays within himself and can be a key contributor as spot starter. In his four games in Dallas, Middleton is averaging 16 points, 4.8 rebounds, three assists, while shooting 40-percent from three in 25.5 minutes per game.
While it’s unknown how many seasons Middleton has left, it appears he still has a little juice in the tank for a limited role. As he becomes a free agent this summer he’ll need to weigh whether he’d like to play a reserved role on a contender with assumed less opportunity on the floor, or get more space to show his future ability in Dallas where he’ll likely receive more minutes but with zero stakes in the games. If Dallas is truly offering a future for him next season it is worth monitoring. He has a history with head coach Jason Kidd from early Milwaukee days. And the Mavericks will be trying to turn things around next season with Cooper Flagg being joined by Kyrie Irving, a top ten pick, and the return of Dereck Lively II. Expect a decision on this soon as the eligibility cutoff looms this weekend.