The Milwaukee Bucks' 2016-17 playoff hopes have been dealt a potentially crushing blow before the team's training camp has even opened.
The team confirmed an earlier report that swingman Khris Middleton will undergo surgery to repair a left hamstring injury suffered during an offseason workout.
Middleton is expected to miss approximately six months with what The Vertical's Shams Charania reports is a torn hamstring suffered Tuesday.
A two-way presence at the shooting guard and small forward positions, Middleton is among Milwaukee's most important players, having logged more minutes than any Buck besides Giannis Antetokounmpo last season.
"We're obviously disappointed for Khris and our team, but injuries are an unfortunate part of the game," General Manager John Hammond said in a statement. "We'll rely on our overall roster depth to help us while Khris is out for a significant period of the season."
Middleton, who signed a five-year, $70-million contract last summer, averaged 18.2 points, 4.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 79 games during the 2015-16 season.
The 25-year-old has connected on more than 40 percent of his 919 3-point attempts over the last three seasons, missing a total of just six games during that time.
After earning a surprising postseason berth in 2014-15, the Bucks stumbled along to a 33-49 record last year.
