Veteran forward Khris Middleton’s future with the Dallas Mavericks reportedly won’t be in anyone else’s hands.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported that league sources said the Mavs have “essentially left it up to” Middleton himself to “decide if he wants to stay with his new team for the rest of the season or seek a buyout.”
If Middleton is waived by Sunday’s deadline, he would be permitted to sign with a playoff contender for the rest of the season. At 20-36, Dallas ranks 12th in the Western Conference and won’t give him the opportunity to chase a second career NBA championship this year.
However, Stein noted that Middleton “could just opt to stay put and see where it leads.” It reportedly “has been conveyed to” the 34-year-old that Dallas “will certainly still have a need for shooting next season.” Middleton showed the type of impact he can have on the team when he led the Mavs with 25 points in Sunday’s 134-130 win over the Indiana Pacers.
If Middleton chooses to remain in Dallas, he would give the team another veteran to help guide 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, who is now the face of the franchise during this rebuild.