Just when his NBA comeback was about to get off the ground, Sacramento Kings point guard Ben Simmons suffered a torn Achilles and will miss the entire season. It's a devastating update, but the Kings don't plan on waiting around. Per NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Kings are looking for help at point guard, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. is on their radar.
Porter makes plenty of sense for the Kings
Though Porter and Simmons are nowhere near similar players, it would make sense for the Kings to pivot to Milwaukee's guard. Just like he is currently poised to do with the Bucks if he sticks around, Porter could provide second unit support but also slide into the starting spot when needed. With a rookie floor general in Darius Acuff Jr., Porter could be useful in taking pressure off him offensively.
Making just under $5.4 million this season, it would also be easily justifiable from a contract point of view. Sacramento would not be forced to move the sun and the moon to bring him aboard. Given how soon the season is about to start, one would think the Kings want to act quickly, and this could be the way to get it done cheaply and efficiently.
Grizzlies are a possible roadblock for Bucks
While Porter would make plenty of sense in Sacramento, he is not the lone point guard the Kings are eyeing. Fischer and Marc Stein report that Walter Clayton of the Memphis Grizzlies, who face their own roster crunch, is also someone they are doing homework on. Which guard the Kings want could come down to the wire later Monday afternoon.
Though Clayton showed flashes during his rookie year, Porter feels like the better option if the Kings want someone who can contribute sooner rather than later. Porter is more experienced and just had one of his best seasons statistically. Considering Clayton makes just under what Porter will earn this season, a final decision should not be financially driven at all.
Porter is a good player, and if the Milwaukee Bucks weren't facing this roster crunch, they would likely want to keep him around. Yet, this is the position they've put themselves in, and unless someone surprisingly wants to trade for Kyle Kuzma or Caris LeVert, Porter is trending toward being the Bucks' ultimate sacrifice alongside Pete Nance to alleviate the roster jam.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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