Khris Middleton is the most underrated player in the NBA

[Milbuck]

Been reading some RPM threads here past couple weeks, and people shaking their heads at Khris being #7 in the league right now.. Dude is pretty much an unknown for the majority of NBA fans..but he's probably the best player right now on a playoff team, one of the best 2-way players in the league right now.

Been held back all year, never given the touches/shots he deserves..

11 games post Brandon Knight trade: 19/6/3 on 50/49/88 shooting, with great defense.

30/4/5 on 12-17 shooting (4-4 3PT) in a W against Orlando tonight.

ELITE shooter, smooth as **** scorer and a great defender. Only 23 years old, he's looking like a Klay-lite right now, with years to improve.. Since the Knight trade he's looked like a borderline all-star. Every day he looks more and more like he's gonna be an all-star in a few years.

He's gonna get very close to the max imho, and with the way he's looked post-Knight trade I'd honestly give him the max. Keep him at all costs. I'm shocked this dude isn't getting more attention, players like him don't come around that often..not with his shooting ability to go with defense, size, length, etc.

[GOBB]

:sleeping

[Ariza4three]

He deserves the max. **** what everyone says. I want Orlando to throw the max at him.

[Milbuck]

:sleeping
How's Embiid doing? Gonna be able to play by 2019 or nah?

[inclinerator]

who is she

[Milbuck]

He deserves the max. **** what everyone says. I want Orlando to throw the max at him.
He's just such a smooth scorer, his game is built to develop nicely in this league. I'd be shocked if he doesn't end up with at least one all-star selection in his career. He's really the perfect player to have as your 3rd or 4th option, a great wing defender and a surreal shooter to space the floor for your first 2-3 options.

As much as I want him back on the Bucks he'd be PERFECT alongside Payton and Dipo. I can't think of a better fit than Middleton for that team at that position.

[Ariza4three]

He's the best player on that team. I have no idea why Giannis gets called like he is. His defense and shooting is very good. He's a better defender than Klay

[Magic731]

Middleton just became the most overrated player in the NBA.

[Ariza4three]

He's just such a smooth scorer, his game is built to develop nicely in this league. I'd be shocked if he doesn't end up with at least one all-star selection in his career. He's really the perfect player to have as your 3rd or 4th option, a great wing defender and a surreal shooter to space the floor for your first 2-3 options.

As much as I want him back on the Bucks he'd be PERFECT alongside Payton and Dipo. I can't think of a better fit than Middleton for that team at that position.
Yeah 3rd or 4th option is perfect. With Thibs and Middleton with Dipo and Payton in the backcourt that's pretty scary. He can move and guard both the 2 and 3 too. Dipo really had trouble with him because he's so big. Klay Thompson is a perfect comparison but he'll be a better defender than Klay.

[Milbuck]

He's the best player on that team. I have no idea why Giannis gets called like he is. His defense and shooting is very good. He's a better defender than Klay
Right now he is. Giannis gets hype because of how "raw" he still is, but is still a top 2 player on the team (didn't play like it tonight)...considering his background he doesn't have much more experience than other 20 year old rookies like Wiggins or Jabari before he went down. But Middleton is definitely the most reliable player on the team currently.
Yeah 3rd or 4th option is perfect. With Thibs and Middleton with Dipo and Payton in the backcourt that's pretty scary. He can move and guard both the 2 and 3 too. Dipo really had trouble with him because he's so big. Klay Thompson is a perfect comparison but he'll be a better defender than Klay.Yeah I said Klay-lite but I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being as good. It's like a flip switched and he's playing with the confidence of an all-star. Defensively he's longer, more athletic than Klay was at the same age, just gotta keep building on it.

[Smook A.]

He's gonna get very close to the max
:roll: :roll: :roll:

[CarlosBoozer]

Might take him in my fantasy team next year :)

[Ariza4three]

:roll: :roll: :roll:
what's the max for him?

[Milbuck]

:roll: :roll: :roll:
You're retarded. Dude is 23 years old putting up 19/6/3 on nearly 50/50/90 shooting with great defense since Knight left. If you don't think he's gonna be in serious discussions for close to the max you have no idea what you're talking about.

[DMAVS41]

I called this last year.

Said the Cavs should have tried trading for him....

[CarlosBoozer]

Mill, how does he get most of his points other than 3pters?

[Ariza4three]

parsons got the max right? he's better than parsons at everything

[SwishSquared]

I guess it's because Bucks games aren't on ESPN or TNT. He's a very solid young player and should only keep improving. People here may sleep on him but his reputation from RPM may make him the most "overrated underrated" guy in the league right now in that he's an analytics darling but casual fans don't know who he is. He hits like 50% on corner 3s, brings great defensive versatility, and has room to grow. I could even see the argument for him being a better defender than Klay right now, although he's behind on offense still imo. For his height though, he's gotta meh wingspan (6'7" height, 6'10" wingspan) in a league that craves crazy length. But that size @ SG is pretty ridiculous.

@GOBB: If the 76ers try to get any FA this summer, I think it's him. Hinkie would throw a max at him if the draft doesn't work out the way he wants.

EDIT:

what's the max for him?
It starts at like $16.7M or something. It's 25% of the salary cap, which is projected to be ~$67.5M.

[CarlosBoozer]

parsons got the max right? he's better than parsons at everything
Other than looks :cheers:

[GOBB]

How's Embiid doing? Gonna be able to play by 2019 or nah?

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/sports/sixers/Joel-Embiids-recovery-on-track-cleared-for-increased-activity.html

:pimp:

[Ariza4three]

krhis middleton is what i wanted harkless to be. except harkless is ****ing terrible. harkless has a 7'1 wingspan smh

[Milbuck]

Mill, how does he get most of his points other than 3pters?
He's a sick shooter from everywhere, haven't looked at the numbers but by the eye test he shoots it from everywhere. Midrange, 3, got a sick turnaround J, has the size/length at his position to shoot over defenders, knows when to go down low to exploit mismatches, etc. He's developing nicely as a slasher and is becoming very good in transition. He's not Kyrie Irving or anything, but he can put the ball on the floor and make something happen. Although that's not his game, which is why I think he's gonna be most impactful as a ~3rd option. The best word to describe his game is just...smooth. He knows where to be on the floor, makes good decisions, and couple it with his surreal shooting ability, and he's potentially a steady 17-20 ppg scorer down the road.

[SwishSquared]

krhis middleton is what i wanted harkless to be. except harkless is ****ing terrible. harkless has a 7'1 wingspan smh
You guys hired Vaughn over Hornicek, who was the #2 candidate there. That may be a reason he never developed. Didn't you guys like send him home for a couple weeks just to be away from the team as a way to motivate him or something?

[Smook A.]

You're retarded. Dude is 23 years old putting up 19/6/3 on nearly 50/50/90 shooting with great defense since Knight left. If you don't think he's gonna be in serious discussions for close to the max you have no idea what you're talking about.
Lol. He's playing on a team where he has the oppurtunity to shoot as much as he wants to. No legit superstar on the Bucks. Put him on a team with a legit superstar and he wouldn't be averaging anywhere near those numbers. Good player, but definitely not worthy of a MAX. You're crazy if you think so. And besides, who are you the one to call someone retarded? You troll the forum with your constant Harden bullshit everyday.

[Ariza4three]

You guys hired Vaughn over Hornicek, who was the #2 candidate there. That may be a reason he never developed. Didn't you guys like send him home for a couple weeks just to be away from the team as a way to motivate him or something?
Something like that. Moe is only 21 so he still has time, but he arguably shouldn't even be in the NBA right now. He has confidence issues. He has to find ways to use his amazing length but I don't think we help him much. Hopefully a new coach can really develop these players.

[Smook A.]

Middleton should get around $10-12 million a year. Giving him the max would be dumb.

[Milbuck]

Lol. He's playing on a team where he has the oppurtunity to shoot as much as he wants to. No legit superstar on the Bucks. Put him on a team with a legit superstar and he wouldn't be averaging anywhere near those numbers. Good player, but definitely not worthy of a MAX. You're crazy if you think so. And besides, who are you the one to call someone retarded? You troll the forum with your constant Harden bullshit everyday.
You don't know what you're talking about. He doesn't shoot as much as he wants to, he's not chucking up shots like Josh Smith on the Pistons. Our team is built on unselfishness, he's getting his points because he's good.

Dude is shooting nearly ****ing 50/50/90 from the field since the Knight trade :oldlol: He was being held back all year, and now with Heroball McGee out of the picture he's looked like a borderline all-star....at 23.

We wouldn't be paying him for the player he is right now exclusively, we'd be paying him in large part for the player he should develop into...which is potentially a stud.

[SwishSquared]

Middleton should get around $10-12 million a year. Giving him the max would be dumb.
I'd rather pay him a max than Chandler Parsons. He's not the ballhandler Parsons is, but he's a significantly better defender and is a more consistent shooter. All it takes is 1 team to think he's a building block and he'll get paid. Just like Parsons got big money last summer.

Gordon Hayward is really good and he got a max coming off a down year (his teammates were bad but his #s regressed iirc).

I think Middleton can get a huge contract this summer just like both of those guys did.

[Ariza4three]

Middleton should get around $10-12 million a year. Giving him the max would be dumb.
It would be but that might be what teams offer him

[Milbuck]

If the max is ~16 mil....the way I see it: 10-12 million is pretty much what we have to pay to keep him considering how good he looks right now and his age/room for improvement, there's no way teams don't offer him at least that. 13-14 million is ok, a bit optimistic about his improvement but Mids has all the potential to be worth that and then some. 15-max money is a reach but when you consider what someone like Parsons is getting, it's really not that terrible.

[SwishSquared]

If the max is ~16 mil....the way I see it: 10-12 million is pretty much what we have to pay to keep him considering how good he looks right now and his age/room for improvement, there's no way teams don't offer him at least that. 13-14 million is ok, a bit optimistic about his improvement but Mids has all the potential to be worth that and then some. 15-max money is a reach but when you consider what someone like Parsons is getting, it's really not that terrible.
Wouldn't be shocked if some GM offers him $54M/4 years. I was talking about him with my friends and I think he might get PAID. I mean Lance's agent got him $9.7M and if he didn't sign in Charlotte, he was about to sign in Dallas for $28M/2 years...

[DetroitPiston]

One of those trades that I had a feeling would hurt the Pistons. Would've been happy to have kept Middleton as he would've been a nice piece. And it'd mean not starting Caron Butlet or Tayshaun Prince. In the little playing time he got he looked great.

[Milbuck]

Wouldn't be shocked if some GM offers him $54M/4 years. I was talking about him with my friends and I think he might get PAID. I mean Lance's agent got him $9.7M and if he didn't sign in Charlotte, he was about to sign in Dallas for $28M/2 years...
Hell, it might be likely, rather than just possible. I don't see how any competent franchise with a good front office, scouting crew, etc can see what he's doing right now post-Knight trade at 23, and not even consider offering him that. Active Bucks fans are convinced he's worth the max...which is a knee-jerk reaction probably, but imho I would be totally fine with him getting 54/4. We just need to keep him at all costs. If Giannis and Jabari are 10/10 in terms of being untouchable..Mids is probably a 9 right now for me..

[SwishSquared]

Hell, it might be likely, rather than just possible. I don't see how any competent franchise with a good front office, scouting crew, etc can see what he's doing right now post-Knight trade at 23, and not even consider offering him that. Active Bucks fans are convinced he's worth the max...which is a knee-jerk reaction probably, but imho I would be totally fine with him getting 54/4. We just need to keep him at all costs. If Giannis and Jabari are 10/10 in terms of being untouchable..Mids is probably a 9 right now for me..
I think a lot of people in league circles know about him but aren't hyping him in hopes of getting him for a cheaper price haha. I'd keep him around for his floor spacing. Until Jabari & Giannis are more consistent shooters, you guys need somebody like him. Can't rely too much on Illysova & Dudley to knock down outside shots at their age. Also, once Inglis plays next year, they'll really need the extra shooting unless he's improved massively on offense.

I'm just waiting for the MCW-Middleton-Inglis-Giannis-Jabari lineup for lolz next season haha.

[Milbuck]

I think a lot of people in league circles know about him but aren't hyping him in hopes of getting him for a cheaper price haha. I'd keep him around for his floor spacing. Until Jabari & Giannis are more consistent shooters, you guys need somebody like him. Can't rely too much on Illysova & Dudley to knock down outside shots at their age. Also, once Inglis plays next year, they'll really need the extra shooting unless he's improved massively on offense.

I'm just waiting for the MCW-Middleton-Inglis-Giannis-Jabari lineup for lolz next season haha.
Yeah Dudley's knee is becoming a problem again, and Ersan might be the most inconsistent player in NBA history, with the body of a 40 year old at 27 lol. With all the injuries, fatigue, and new pieces...this offense might seriously be the worst in the league without him.

Just lol at the length/athleticism in that lineup. Scary part is that it wouldn't even be that crazy considering Giannis might grow into a legit 7 foot frame next year, and Jabari being half PF anyways. Inglis is intriguing as hell though, it's such a bummer he's out for the year. Still need to see it on the court, but if his passing/handles are as good as the scouts say..might be another steal.

[oarabbus]

Middleton definitely not the most underrated player on my fantasy team :rockon:

picked him up pre-allstar break and he's been killing it.