Kevin Porter Jr. is back on the market, and that should put a few teams on alert.
The Milwaukee Bucks waived the 26-year-old guard today, cutting him loose just before the deadline to lock in their opening-night roster. A crowded backcourt left him without a clean path to minutes, but the move does not change the fact that Porter put together a productive season last year.
In 38 games, he averaged 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 2.2 steals, and 0.5 blocks while shooting 46.5% from the field and 87.8% at the line. The one catch: his 32.2% three-point shooting still leaves room for improvement, and any team interested in him has to do real homework on his off-court history.
If Porter gets through waivers, there should be a market for a guard who can create offense. Three teams, in particular, stand out.
The Miami Heat look like the most intriguing fit because they are built to win now, and their offseason changed the entire shape of the roster. They landed Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster trade and added Klay Thompson, Bobby Portis, and other veterans around him, Bam Adebayo, and Andrew Wiggins.
Even with that kind of firepower, the point guard rotation behind Davion Mitchell was already flagged as a question in the team’s season preview. Porter could step into that opening and give Erik Spoelstra another handler who can make things happen without everything running through Giannis.
That matters for a bench group that posted a -1.4 net rating last season. Porter’s scoring and playmaking would be useful on its own, especially his 17.4 points and 7.4 assists per game.
His 2.2 steals also fit a Miami team that wants to squeeze extra possessions out of every game. The concern is straightforward: can he space the floor well enough at 32.2% from deep to avoid being played off the court when paired with other non-shooters?
Miami has a reputation for giving overlooked players a real chance, but Spoelstra will want clean possessions, effort, and commitment on defense. Porter would have to earn that trust, and his off-court record would need to pass the Heat’s standard before anything happens.
Detroit is another logical landing spot. The Pistons won 60 games and claimed the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last season, with Cade Cunningham emerging as the face of the franchise.
But their playoff loss to Cleveland showed the issue clearly: when teams make Cunningham grind for every bucket, Detroit needs somebody else who can get a decent shot without waiting for him to do everything. Porter could help there.
The Pistons added shooting with Isaiah Joe and John Collins, but another ball handler would deepen the rotation in a meaningful way. Porter’s 17.4 points and 7.4 assists point to a guard who can carry real offensive weight, and his 5.2 rebounds show he does more than just score.
He also averaged 2.9 turnovers, which is part of the package, but those mistakes could be manageable if the role is defined and the lineup around him makes sense. Detroit already has plenty of guards fighting for minutes, so this only works if the staff sees Porter as a real upgrade in bench creation.
Even so, the Pistons need help, and he can provide it.
Toronto rounds out the list. The Raptors have assembled a group that can make noise in the Eastern Conference, but they still need another guard who can generate offense when the first option gets taken away.
Immanuel Quickley is the starter, and Jamal Shead brings energy and pressure off the bench, but Porter offers something different: size, shot creation, and the ability to break down a defense off the dribble. He can run pick-and-roll and salvage possessions when things start to unravel.
That kind of skill set matters for a team balancing Scottie Barnes’ playmaking with the scoring of RJ Barrett and Kawhi Leonard. Toronto won 46 games last season, then made a major move by adding Leonard, which raised expectations for a team that already flashed defensive promise.
The bench’s -2.0 net rating last season tells you why a swing like this makes sense. Porter’s 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals give him a profile that most end-of-roster guards simply cannot match.
Still, the Raptors would have to decide whether they can live with a guard whose game is most dangerous when the ball is in his hands, especially with that 32.2% three-point mark hanging over the decision. On a minimum deal, though, Toronto could view him as a secondary creator instead of asking him to carry the whole offense.
Porter’s next stop is not guaranteed, but the fit is obvious in a few places. Teams need offense, and he has shown he can supply it. The question is which organization is willing to bet on the talent and manage the risk.
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