Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton is expected to miss Wednesday’s season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, sources told ESPN on Monday.

The three-time All-Star will be ready to start the NBA season as he rehabs from offseason ankle surgery, and the Bucks are moving Middleton cautiously toward a return, sources told ESPN.

Middleton did not appear in a preseason game and still has not been cleared to participate in the team’s 5-on-5 scrimmages during practice. He had participated in 3-on-3 scrimmages for most of the preseason, but Bucks coach Doc Rivers told reporters this weekend that Middleton has been in limited practice since Wednesday.

Taurean Prince has filled the starting line-up in Middleton’s absence during pre-season.

Middleton sprained his left ankle in a February 6 game against the Phoenix Suns after landing on Kevin Durant’s foot following a jump shot. Middleton subsequently missed the next 16 games with the injury, which he called the worst ankle sprain of his career; it stuck around all season.

Middleton, who averaged 15.1 points, 4.7 points and 5.3 assists during the regular season, underwent surgery on it shortly after Milwaukee’s season ended in May.

The right ankle injury occurred during Game 2 of the Bucks’ first-round playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers. The injury kept him from practicing during the playoffs, but he played through it, averaging 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists to help Milwaukee battle in the series without an injured Giannis Antetokounmpo . He underwent surgery in June.

Middleton, 34, has played in just 88 regular-season games over the past two seasons due to a number of lingering injuries. In April 2022, he sprained his knee during the Bucks’ first-round playoff series and subsequently underwent wrist surgery during the 2022 offseason.

In the summer of 2023, he underwent right knee surgery and was placed on a strict minutes restriction for most of the first half of the season.

ESPN’s Jamal Collier contributed to this report.