Among the biggest priorities for the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason will be doing everything in their power to retain center Bobby Portis.
Following a career year, the center is set to ponder a player option worth $4.6 million, and it would not be surprising whatsoever to see him opt out to seek a raise. Portis did play on what many may have considered one of the most valuable contracts in the league this past season, given his sheer production and big role once Brook Lopez was sidelined with back surgery, and no one could blame him for potentially seeking a raise While some have questioned Portis’ future in Milwaukee due to their limited spending money, veteran NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required) reported on Friday that some opposing teams that have expressed interest in Portis believe that they have no shot at luring him away from the Bucks. Stein adds that the expectation is that Portis will re-sign a multi-year deal to stay put in Milwaukee if he does indeed decline his player option.
Instant reactions to rumors circulating that Bobby Portis is likely to return to the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason
Obviously, this is great news for the Milwaukee Bucks. Bobby Portis has been an incredible pickup for the Bucks over the past two seasons, playing a key role in their title run while stepping up in an increased role this past season in Lopez’s lengthy absence. Whether Portis is coming off the bench or hearing his name called with the starters, the 27-year-old fits in whatever role the team has for him, and losing such a pivotal player like him would be a devastating blow. Thankfully, it seems like the Bucks are looking to take care of their own and keep Portis locked up for multiple years, which is a no-brainer with the offseason nearing.
If Portis does indeed stick around, the biggest question is what type of role he would play after he just put together the best season of his career. Would the big man remain a full-time starter as he did last season, or would he return to his bench role? Another question mark is whether the Bucks would consider trading Brook Lopez if they locked up Portis for the foreseeable future, considering that he was sidelined for a large portion of this past season and that he is not getting any younger. Portis showed this past season that he is more than capable of being a full-time starter, so it is an interesting possibility, but that is nothing more than pure speculation at the time of this writing.
All of these questions and more will be answered once free agency kicks off in the coming weeks, where Portis will likely decline his player option to jumpstart this process.
Losing Portis would be a significant blow, and though the pen has not been put to paper just yet, Stein’s reporting suggests Bucks fans can let out a sigh of relief for now.
Stay tuned to see what ultimately happens between Bobby Portis and the Milwaukee Bucks once the offseason and NBA free agency officially begin.