The clock ticks for Khris Middleton's buyout decision. Coach Kidd confirms the choice rests with the veteran, impacting his immediate future and offseason potential.
DALLAS — Jason Kidd did not mince words Friday when asked about Khris Middleton's future with the Dallas Mavericks.
"That's up to Khris," Kidd said before Friday night's home game against the Memphis Grizzlies. "We support whatever decision he makes if he's going to stay or if he's gonna get bought out. But I think he's gotta make that decision here pretty quick."
Time is indeed running short. Any player on a standard NBA contract who has not been waived by Sunday's midnight deadline cannot play in the postseason for a new team this spring. For Middleton — a 34-year-old champion playing out the final year of a $33.3 million deal — the next 48 hours carry consequences that stretch well into the offseason.
Middleton came to Dallas on February 5th in the three-team trade that shipped Anthony Davis to Washington. He has looked comfortable in his six games with the Mavericks, averaging 14.5 points while shooting 50.0% from the field.
The stats represent a meaningful step forward after two seasons with lesser efficiency in Washington, and his best game as a Maverick — 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting in Indiana on February 22nd — served as a timely reminder that he still has something left to offer a winning team.
At 21-37, Dallas is not that team right now, and nobody inside the organization is pretending otherwise. The Mavericks have given Middleton the room to figure out what makes sense for him without any pressure to rush toward a particular answer.
Where it gets complicated is the money. Dallas holds Middleton's full Bird Rights, which means the Mavericks could offer him a larger deal this summer than any team signing him off a buyout could. That is not a small thing for a player at his stage of his career. Finishing the season in Dallas, stringing together more performances like the one in Indiana, and hitting free agency with his Bird Rights in place might ultimately do more for his next contract than a two-month stint with a contender would.
Kidd coached Middleton through his best years in Milwaukee and has leaned on that history since the moment Middleton arrived in Dallas. With rookie Cooper Flagg sidelined for a sixth straight game Friday due to a left midfoot sprain, Middleton's veteran presence has carried even more weight than it might have otherwise.
"Khris is a champion," Kidd said after a recent win in Indiana. "He understands how to play. He doesn't always have to score. His voice and his leadership are needed."
Middleton is in uniform Friday against Memphis. He could play again Sunday against Oklahoma City, which happens to fall on the same day the clock runs out. After that, it is entirely up to him.