Is Khris cooked?

[jakecronus8]

It would be interesting to see in a flat percentage how many people do think Middleton is basically cooked. I think I am there. I don't get the team holding him out on the abundance of caution post snowstorm, but trying his first B2B on the road like a week later. The two games bracketing the Utah game looked like he was stuck in mud out there.

I suppose pick your own criteria but for me, it’s is he reliable enough and have enough left in the tank to be the team’s #3 option.

[buckboy]

Probably.

[FrieAaron]

Like I mentioned in the other thread, historically he is a bit of a slow starter and even though we're now halfway through the season he's only 20 games in coming off ankle surgery. No doubt he's so far having his worst season in like almost a decade, but I also think it's possible he just hasn't hit the prime Jordan part of the Khris cycle yet. So, I just don't know but since there's also at least a good part of wishful thinking there, so I have to vote C.

[SirChurros]

I think that yes, in terms of being a consistently useful player, Khris is cooked.

As I stated in the other thread, I think for as long as he plays, he will always be a threat to score 20+ on a given, random, night but I think his days of being a consistent second or third banana are over.

[Frank Nova]

The more fair question is can you trust Middleton in this current state to be the 3rd option for a deep playoff run? I don’t think he’s necessarily “cooked” but the answer to my own question is no.

[jakecronus8]

I also like the exercise of “If Khris was on another team as is, is he someone you’re looking to trade for?”

[MickeyDavis]

We'll keep this open until he's traded or the deadline passes next week.

[humanrefutation]

We are about 9 months removed from watching Khris roast the Pacers. I don't think he's cooked. Definitely not as a third option. He's just not someone we can rely on to be a primary offensive weapon on a consistent basis anymore.

[theFireBlanket]

Trade him & he's cooking KHASH style again next year, guarantee. Egg yolk streaming down Eden's face.

Time & Suki.

[MiltownMadness]

Think we will get a way better idea once this season concludes or is near conclusion, sure based off 2 of the last 3 games its easy to say yes, but it seems a bit emotional and lacking patience for the guy. He will be load managed the rest of his career that is for sure, still have a sneaking suspicion he will still be a huge contributor in a playoff run.

I wish there was a "need to see more" or "ask in me in 4 months" option. This is way more nuanced than just yes/no/troll answer

[MikeIsGood]

We are about 9 months removed from watching Khris roast the Pacers. I don't think he's cooked. Definitely not as a third option.

and

He's just not someone we can rely on to be a primary offensive weapon on a consistent basis anymore[/b].

feel incongruent to me, though. If we can't rely on him to be a primary offensive weapon on a consistent basis, it feels to me like he is cooked as a third option to a championship team. We need him to be the player he is when he is able to show up - all the time.

We're also double-ankle surgery past 9 months ago. We have four playoff series to go through if we're winning another ring, and all of this is where and why it feels like he's cooked.

[ampd]

Just too many serious injuries

[JayMKE]

I believe Khris is heavily load managed for our ends and I still think has more important basketball to play. His defense on the perimeter has looked rough but I think can be used differently and hid still since he still has size and length and can play bigger. He still can make shots and has great chemistry with Giannis. I guess it comes down to believing he has another gear that he’s saving for the playoffs rather than being “cooked”, I hoping that’s the case with all our stars.

[Ron Swanson]

He's cooked defensively, 100%

Sorry, all the defensive IQ and old veteran tricks in the world aren't gonna overcome his inability to move laterally anymore. Don't think it's a coincidence that we've been running so much of that 2-3 zone against teams either. Only way I think you can even remotely hide him against good offensive teams anymore is to play him at the 4 in small-ball lineups, but even then, any quick wing or guard is just gonna blow right past him on a switch.

Offensively? Not quite there yet. He's still a spot-up and mid-range assassin when he can get to his spots, but man, I don't think he can actually get to his spots like he used to anymore. it was pretty glaring how bad he looked when the Clippers just sent any athletic perimeter guy (Derrick Jones, Powell, Porter) and clamped him up. And that was after he had 5-days of rest between games, so I don't really wanna hear the "tired" excuse.

[benultimate]

He's into the phase of his career where he still could be a great 6th man. Unfortunately we're not paying like a 6th man nor do we have anyone to move into that 3rd option slot

[soboMP3]

Never thought I’d be here but starting to think so. Although the flashes of brilliance/passing are still there. It may be more of a mental/pouting/bench thing though?

[Ryan5UW]

Should have pulled him out of the oven last year.

[Plossum]

I voted no. Guy still needs and deserves some time to bring it around. Has only played 21 games this year. He’ll be much better by the 40 game mark if he stays healthy.

[paulpressey25]

For some of us this has been evident for a long-time. Guy turns 34 in August. Most NBA players are cooked by then.

Middleton has had a spectacular career, probably been a top-five all-time Buck but father time has come.

I'm sure a few of you will blow raspberries at me if he puts up a 30 point night tomorrow. But that's a normal decline pattern for great players. They don't just end overnight, but have fits and starts and are still capable of having a big night now and then. His pattern is pretty similar to what happened with Sidney Moncrief. It just started earlier for Sid.

[ReasonablySober]

And yet people here insist that he's the asset in a trade.