Reason No. 2 – Bobby Portis is coming off of a career year with the Milwaukee Bucks
When Portis arrived in Milwaukee, he had a big role to fill. He was going to have to be Milwaukee’s backup big man and fill the void left by Robin Lopez’s departure after the bubble.
Portis has more than filled the spot and has exceeded even the most optimistic of expectations. In his two seasons with the Bucks, Portis has become recognized as one of the game’s top role players and bench scorers.
In his first season with the Bucks, Portis proved himself to be a crucial piece toward a championship run. In just over 20 minutes per game, Portis contributed averages of 11.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 52.3 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from three.
However, it was what Portis was able to do in his second season that encapsulates what makes him worth keeping for Milwaukee. Portis averaged 14.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in 28.2 minutes per game, all career-highs.
The biggest thing that Portis did for the Bucks this season was hold down the fort while Brook Lopez recovered from a back injury. Portis was given 59 starts in Lopez’s absence and gave the team everything that they could’ve asked for while he was away.
After Lopez returned, Portis showed his value as a teammate. Portis was willing to give the starting role back to Lopez and do whatever the team asked of him. Not many players are willing to sacrifice for the good of the team and that’s one of the special characteristics of Portis.
Portis is young enough that he is still improving and has some of his best years ahead of him. At age 27, now would be the perfect time for Milwaukee to consider locking him in for the long-term.