Kevin Porter Jr. is heading into a pivotal season with the Milwaukee Bucks, but his place in the franchise’s rebuild is anything but settled.
The 25-year-old picked up his $5.39 million player option to stay in Milwaukee after a strong year that ended early because of injury. In 38 appearances, Porter Jr. put up 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game. His season stopped after March 17, when he needed arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and missed the rest of the year.
What he showed before the injury gives the Bucks something to think about. Porter Jr. was productive without always being efficient from the field, but he made his money getting downhill, creating shots and setting up teammates. December was his best stretch, when he averaged 19.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game while shooting 47.3% from the field and 37.5% from 3-point range.
Still, Milwaukee’s bigger picture makes his future murky. This will be the first season without Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Taylor Jenkins is set to guide a young roster through what figures to be a rough transition. Expectations are low for a team coming off a 50-lost season and the loss of its franchise player, even if the Bucks need as much help as they can get.
The issue is simple: there are a lot of guards in Milwaukee, and not enough minutes to satisfy everyone.
The Bucks brought in Tyler Herro and Kasparas Jakučionis in the Antetokounmpo trade, then used the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Brayden Burries. Ryan Rollins is expected to start at point guard after a breakout season and will try to build on that while playing next to Herro.
Milwaukee also traded Gary Harris and Taurean Prince to the Detroit Pistons for Caris LeVert, and AJ Green is still in the mix. The team also planned to sign Gary Trent Jr. to a four-year, $64 million deal, but that agreement is under investigation.
That’s a crowded room, and the younger names may end up driving the decision on Porter Jr. Burries and Jakučionis are both 20, and Milwaukee appears to view them as part of the guard core for years to come. Porter Jr. has just one year left on his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, which makes him a possible short-term piece rather than a must-keep.
If he plays well, the Bucks could bring him back and carve out a role. They could also decide his value is better used in a trade during the season instead of risking losing him for nothing in free agency. Either way, Milwaukee has to weigh his production against his injury history and the development path of its younger guards.
Porter Jr. looks like a useful player. He may even be a difference-maker for stretches. But with the Bucks rebuilding around younger guards, he does not look like someone Milwaukee has to treat as essential.
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For rookie Brayden Burries, that creates a more realistic opening than there might have been a few weeks ago. He showed promise in Summer League and has at least put himself in the conversation for minutes, and with Milwaukees guard rotation still crowded but not necessarily about to get even more crowded, the coming season suddenly looks a little more navigable for a player trying to carve out a role. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Offseason Approach Is Starting To Send A Frustrating Message
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Milwaukee is also not currently pursuing Jonathan Kuminga or Bennedict Mathurin, another sign that it is not eager to move draft capital just to add another young piece. Instead, the Bucks appear content to hold firm and manage the roster without major changes for now, which leaves the team in a familiar but uneasy place. The approach may preserve flexibility, but it also sends the message that the next step could be more about patience than urgency. [Read more 🡒]
Jaime Jaquez Jr. Just Landed A Huge Bucks Opportunity
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The timing adds another layer here, because Jaquez is also headed toward a new contract next summer. For a player looking to establish himself, a chance to open the season in the starting five can matter as much as anything else, and the Bucks' decision-making on the wing suggests they may already be comfortable with him being part of that answer. What happens next will go a long way toward showing whether this is a temporary fit or the start of something more significant. [Read more 🡒]