Milwaukee Bucks: Regrading the notorious Bobby Portis signing from 2020

It’s hard to view the Portis signing as anything but a win for the Bucks (and Portis) at this point. The team came away with a prime-age player that has signed twice for below market value and will be able to retain him again with Early Bird rights. The player got the chance to compete for (and win) a championship, develop further as a player, and rebuild his value and perception around the league.

Portis has been a great fit with the Bucks and especially so with the trio. In 146 regular season minutes with the Bucks’ core three players, those lineups posted a plus-16.9 net rating, and it even bumped up slightly in the playoffs. It’s vital that any role player the Bucks bring in can mesh with those three players, and Portis more than did that.

While it’s reasonable to expect some regression from his 3 point shooting numbers, specifically the wide-open 3-point shots, there’s also reason to believe Portis can improve as a defender. He has his limitations, but his strengths make him an invaluable member of the Bucks’ rotation.

The organization felt strongly enough about Portis that they’re once again willing to have him be the lone backup big man to Lopez and Antetokounmpo. That says a lot about the commitment Portis has put into improving on both ends and how much they believe in him as a player and his fit with the team’s main core.

BTBP (Updated) Final Grade: A

There will be more expected out of him now that he’s shown what he’s capable of in the biggest moments, but for right now, the Portis signing was a huge success for the champs.