A healthy Kevin Porter Jr. gives the Milwaukee Bucks another weapon to lean on, and last season showed exactly why that matters.
Porter’s 2023-24 campaign was a strange mix of promise and frustration. In the 38 games he managed to play, he produced some of the strongest numbers of his career: 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.
Those marks were either the best or second-best he has posted in his career, and they hinted at a player who could impact the game in every possible way. The issue, as Porter confirmed at media day, was availability.
Injuries limited him to just 38 appearances, the second-fewest of his career.
When Porter was on the floor, he looked like a player who could tilt things in Milwaukee’s favor in a hurry. He could score when the Bucks needed a bucket, jump a passing lane for a steal, or set up a teammate waiting in the corner. That blend of scoring, playmaking, rebounding and defense makes him one of the more versatile pieces in the rotation.
That versatility matters even more because of the way the Bucks’ guard group is shaping up. Attention naturally goes to Tyler Herro and Ryan Rollins, but Porter belongs in that conversation too. There are still questions about who starts where, yet the fit between the three guards is obvious enough: they can share the floor, cover for one another, and keep pressure off each other in different ways.
For now, the cleanest fit for Porter may be a bench role. Taylor Jenkins wants training camp to sort out the starting five, but on paper, Porter looks like a strong fit leading the second unit.
That setup would give him more ball-handling responsibility instead of forcing him to split the offense with Herro and Rollins right away. It would also let him attack alongside off-ball threats like AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr.
That kind of role gives Milwaukee something valuable - a dangerous scorer on the floor at all times. And for Porter, it could be the perfect stage.
He started in all but two of his games last season, so coming off the bench might feel like a step back. But with an expiring contract, it may actually be the best way for him to maximize his value.
If he thrives in that role, a new deal could be waiting for him next summer.
In Other News...
Bucks Suddenly Have A Real Shot In Jalen Duren Drama
Jalen Durens contract situation has turned into one of the more intriguing offseason storylines, and the ripple effects are reaching Milwaukee. After declining a $200 million offer from Detroit, Duren is staring down a looming deadline on a qualifying offer while the Pistons sort through their own internal questions about his place in the roster hierarchy. The presence of a weight clause in Detroits proposal reportedly surprised Duren and his camp, adding another layer to a negotiation that already had plenty of tension.
For the Bucks, the uncertainty matters because they have shown interest in Duren and suddenly have a plausible path to enter the mix if things break the right way. A decision on his future is expected soon, which keeps Milwaukee on the edge of a situation that could shift quickly depending on what Duren and the Pistons do next. For a team always looking for ways to stay in the conversation, this is the kind of development worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Frontcourt Plan Could Change Myles Turners Role In A Hurry
A frontcourt overhaul may already be taking shape in Milwaukee, and it could have ripple effects for Myles Turner before the season even settles in. According to The Athletics Sam Amick, the Bucks are one of two teams seriously interested in Detroit big man Jalen Duren, a player whose bruising style and interior presence would give Milwaukee a very different look in the paint under coach Taylor Jenkins.
Turners name has surfaced as a possible part of the framework, but Detroit has not engaged in talks, leaving the idea more as a real possibility than a firm negotiation. Still, the fit question is hard to ignore: Durens physical approach would alter how the Bucks think about their frontcourt, and if Milwaukee keeps pressing, this could become one of the more consequential roster watches on the board. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Are Treating Taylor Jenkins Like Far More Than A New Coach
The Bucks did not make a casual coaching change this summer. By bringing in Taylor Jenkins on a long-term deal to replace Doc Rivers, Milwaukee signaled that it wanted more than a new voice on the sideline. Co-owner Wes Edens made that plain in his comments, pointing to Jenkins successful run with the Memphis Grizzlies and framing the hire as a real commitment to a different direction.
What stands out now is how quickly the message around the team has shifted to accountability and growth. The tone around media day suggested Jenkins is being treated less like a standard first-year coach and more like the centerpiece of a broader reset, one with organizational buy-in behind it. For a Bucks team trying to re-establish its identity, that kind of support matters, and it gives this hire a much bigger feel than a simple replacement at the top. [Read more 🡒]