Why Khris Middleton Won't Be Ready For Opening Night

Bucks' superstar Khris Middleton underwent left wrist ligament surgery earlier this month according to media reports. 

While the reports say the Bucks expect him back for the start of the regular season, the Pro Basketball Docs expect the recovery, even in a best-case scenario, to bleed into the season. 

Middleton will have an SIC score of 79 that will continue to rise as the 2022-23 season progresses. 

Based on reporting, Middleton likely suffered the torn ligament after landing awkwardly on his left wrist on March 19. 

Middleton missed 4 of Milwaukee's final 11 games and likely aggravated the injury on another fall on April 3.

The Docs believe he suffered a left wrist scapholunate ligament tear that lingered throughout the playoffs. 

The injury may have impacted the decision to hold him out of the second-round series vs the Celtics after his MCL sprain. 

The key question is whether he underwent a true repair or a reconstruction. 

If Middleton underwent a repair as the Docs believe because he was able to play through the injury, the recovery timeline is four months.

A full reconstruction would be at least six months and likely longer and would sideline Middleton into the early 2023. 

Luckily, in either case, the injury is to his non-shooting hand and the 31-year-old will have no lingering issues once he's back on the court. 

Middleton was named to his third all-star team in four years last season, averaging 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 32.4 minutes per game. 

His numbers dipped after the left wrist injury on March 19 and he posted 14.5 points and 5.5 turnovers on 41.7% shooting in his brief playoffs.