The last couple of months have been a major transition period for Khris Middleton. With just one trade, he went from suiting up for potential title contenders to playing for one of the worst teams in the league. Add that to his lingering injury woes, and it’s not been a pretty sight. Unfortunately, tonight was no different, as Middleton was forced to leave the Pacers clash due to a concerning health issue.

Well, Khris returned to the lineup tonight after missing yesterday’s Sixers encounter with a hurt ankle. But he was abruptly subbed out of the game after spending only 14 minutes on the court. Adding to the concerns, the Wizards announced that Middleton was done for the night—Out with right knee soreness.

With that call, he finished the game with 8 points and two assists. This setback only raises more concerns for Middleton’s health because he has been in and out of the lineup in the past week, still dealing with his lingering ankle injury. This issue dates back to last year when Khris was still on the Bucks’ roster and played in the playoffs with a sprained ankle.

After the Milwaukee team got eliminated, he got both his ankles surgically repaired, even delaying his start to this season. He has missed several games this year because of it. Moreover, tonight’s knee soreness raises even more eyebrows because Middleton had surgery on his right knee during the 2023 offseason. And that issue returning will only cause more problems.

Meanwhile, with Khris out halfway through the game, the Pacers had a field day at work!

Pacers dominate Wizards on historic night as Khris Middleton’s latest injury raises important question

Even if Middleton had returned to finish tonight’s game, it might not have mattered much. That’s because the Wizards were already trailing by 20+ points when he left and the game was as good as over. Adding insult to injury, the Pacers ended up setting a new franchise record for points scored, at 162. The previous record was 157. Their 27 made threes were also a new franchise record.

Of course, Tyrese Haliburton led the charge with his 29-point performance. Apart from him, eight other Pacers players scored in double digits. A dominant performance, indeed! Surely, this historic outing will give them a sense of redemption after last night’s heartbreaking loss to the Lakers.

Meanwhile, the Wizards might have a tough decision to make. With only nine games remaining in the regular season and them being stuck at the bottom seed in the East, should they consider shutting down Khris Middleton for the remaining games? At this point, there is zero chance of making the playoffs. So, it might be a wise move to give the injured star some rest so that he can return in better shape next season. As per the latest reports, Middleton is scheduled to get an MRI, which will further determine his timeline for return. What do you think the Wizards should do next?