"Conversation that needs to be had" - Kendrick Perkins boldly believes Bucks must move on from $54.3 million duo
The Milwaukee Bucks suffered another first-round exit despite being the higher seed for the second straight postseason. With the Bucks getting eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in six games, ESPN's Kendrick Perkins believes it's time for the franchise to move on from their expensive duo.
Perkins commented on Milwaukee's situation immediately following their 120-98 loss in Game 6 on Thursday at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana. The former NBA player thought that the 2021 champions could benefit from moving on from Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton:
"The Pacers earned this series… but the Bucks have some SERIOUS decisions to make this offseason!!! How long before they move on from Lopez and Middleton is a conversation that has to be had," Perkins wrote on X/Twitter.
Brook Lopez has one more year in his contract, but is already 36. Lopez will earn $23 million next season and could be an attractive option for teams looking for a veteran big man like the OKC Thunder or the Orlando Magic. He averaged 12.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game this season.
Meanwhile, Khris Middleton has two years left on his deal with a player option for the 2025-26 season. Middleton has been slowed down by injuries in last past two seasons but was brilliant for Milwaukee in their first-round series matchup against the Indiana Pacers.
Middleton averaged 24.7 ppg, 9.2 rpg and 4.7 apg in six games, shooting 48.2% from the field, 35.5% from beyond the arc and 90.0% from the charity stripe. He's a team legend, so it's unclear if Giannis Antetokounmpo or the front office would be open to parting ways with him.
What should the Bucks do next?
The main problem for the Milwaukee Bucks is they have an aging roster around Antetokounmpo, who's not going anywhere after signing a massive extension last year. Milwaukee will need to revamp their roster a little bit and get younger.
Doc Rivers will likely remain the coach because he only inherited the roster made for Adrian Griffin. He will have his way this offseason and will look to build a winning team around the "Greek Freak".
The Bucks have been on the decline since winning the NBA championship in 2021. They only reached the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2022 before suffering back-to-back first-round exits in 2023 and 2024.
Antetokounmpo's health will also be under consideration given he was hurt in the postseason for the second straight year. He was having another MVP-caliber season before breaking down before the end of the regular season.
It will be interesting to see what moves the Bucks make this offseason to ensure that they get past the first round of the playoffs next season.