Cleveland Cavaliers: Why Khris Middleton is worth a hefty contract in 2019

Middleton is an all-around playmaker

Bleacher Report’s Adam Fromal demonstrated why Middleton is a top ten 2019 free agent in a long list full of stars, given his scoring ability even with tough defensive assignments.

"“Throughout the 2017-18 season, only 16 qualified players scored at least 20 points per game with a true shooting percentage north of 57 percent. Middleton was among that group even while assuming hefty defensive responsibilities on a nightly basis, which was part of the reason the Bucks outscored their foes by an additional 5.5 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor.”"

Middleton’s able to score in so many different ways, as he’s able to fill it up both in an on or off-ball role. That versatility allows him to fit seamlessly in any offensive system.

On catch-and-shoot three-point looks last year, he shot 39.0 percent, per NBA.com. His ability to knock down perimeter looks as a spot-up shooter would be a welcome addition to Cleveland’s offense to counter drives from Collin Sexton, Rodney Hood and Cedi Osman.

Middleton placed in the 74th percentile on spot-ups, per Synergy Sports. For his career, Middleton has hit 39.1 percent of his three-point attempts. With that constant threat, he’d open up space for Love to post up, Larry Nance Jr. or Ante Zizic to roll, and he’d create cutting lanes for Hood, Osman and others.

He’s a knockdown shooter in that regard, but he’s also able to create shots for himself and others off the bounce.

Middleton can create his own offense on a regular basis. He shot 46.5 percent on pull-up jumpers last season, according to NBA.com. With his skill at 6-foot-8, he’s been able to blossom into one of the league’s best midrange shooters.

According to Basketball Reference, he shot 54.5 percent on shots 10-16 feet from the rim (and that was with a frequency of 21.8 percent). This statistic illustrates just how incredible Middleton is at converting in the midrange area with his high release point, courtesy of HoopsHype’s Bryan Kalbrosky.

"“During the regular season, Middleton averaged 2.7 midrange field goals per game. The only players who had more were Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge. His accuracy (49.3 percent) ranked Top 10 among those with at least 100 opportunities.”"

He can fill it up efficiently via isolation pull-ups, shots coming off dribble hand-offs, mid-post fadeaways, floaters, and as a ball-handler in the pick-and-roll. As a PnR ball-handling scorer last year, he ranked in the 93rd percentile, and in scoring plays off hand-offs, he ranked in the 68th percentile, per Synergy.

Along with that bucket-getting prowess, Middleton could also be a valuable secondary playmaker for the Cavs. Hood and Sexton are more scorers than anything else, and while both will likely get better as passers, Middleton’s size and even-keel demeanor could lead to teammates getting more open looks.

He averaged 4.0 assists per game last season on a team without a ton of floor spacing. Obviously, having Antetokounmpo helps boost assist totals, but Middleton never gets sped up with the ball in his hands, and with his height, he can see over defenders well to potentially hit cutters such as Nance or Billy Preston near the rim on a regular basis.

He’s not a flashy passer, but much like other parts of his game, he simply gets it done. He’ll find Love all over the floor, and get spot-up threats the ball from skip passes.

The second reason he would be worth a huge free agent deal from Cleveland involves his ability to defend multiple positions on the floor.