The Milwaukee Bucks may have turned the page after moving Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, but if they’re going to stay afloat next season, the margins are going to matter. That’s where Kevin Porter Jr. comes in.
Porter Jr. is the reserve who could end up carrying real weight for Milwaukee. Even though he played only 38 games last season and missed much of the year because of injuries, including arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in April, he still gave the Bucks a meaningful boost when he was on the floor.
In his second season in Milwaukee, Porter Jr. put up 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. He finished as the team’s second-leading scorer and handled the offense with confidence, even if his 32.2% mark from 3-point range left something to be desired.
What makes him so important is the blend he brings. Porter Jr. can score from just about anywhere thanks to a deep bag of moves, and he also serves as a legitimate playmaker. He led the Bucks in assists and operated as one of the team’s primary ball handlers.
He also showed up on a list of the highest assist percentages on drives in the 2025-26 NBA regular season, finishing fifth at 14.3% among players with at least 400 drives.
Porter Jr. picked up his $5.39 million player option in late June to return to Milwaukee, though his spot on the roster is not guaranteed heading into opening night. The Bucks have a crowded guard group, and Porter Jr. could easily become part of trade talks as Milwaukee continues exploring moves, including a pursuit of Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson.
Shams reported that the Nuggets have reduced their ask for Watson to one “high-level player” and a first-round pick in a sign-and-trade. Milwaukee would have to put forward an impact player such as Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., or AJ Green, along with draft capital.
If Porter Jr. does stay, though, the Bucks will need him. Tyler Herro and Ryan Rollins are expected to open next season as the starting guards, even though Porter Jr. started 36 of his 38 games a year ago. That likely pushes him to the bench, where he’d be expected to anchor the second unit.
That role could put him alongside rookie Brayden Burries, who is also projected to matter off the bench. Burries, a combo guard who can play either backcourt spot, showed that flexibility at Arizona while playing next to Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley. His minutes may shift, but his job as a creator and playmaker should remain the same.
For Milwaukee, Porter Jr. would give that group another scorer, another handler and a player who can take some of the pressure off Burries. He could also fit with Kel'el Ware, whose lob threat makes him a natural target for a distributor like Porter Jr.
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