It's probably not a great sign for a player if there's a social media account dedicated to counting down the days until said player is eligible to be traded, but that's the case with Bobby Portis right now. Once a fan favorite in MKE (and I'm sure still a fan favorite in specific sectors of Bucks nation) his production has gone backwards in recent years, and in 2025-26, he's averaging his fewest points and minutes per game since his first year with the Bucks in 2020-21.
His percentages look good (44.7% from 3PT range) but his impact metrics and advanced stats get ugly. He's a negative VORP player right now, has by far his worst box plus-minus in his Bucks tenure, and I would say he's on the border of failing the eye test, too.
Thus, the Bucks are left at a crossroads with Portis. In a year where it doesn't appear contention is in the cards, but it does appear that a monster blockbuster deal might be in the cards, what should the Bucks do with Portis? He's in the first year of a three-year, $44 million deal and he can still be a productive NBA player — his time in Milwaukee may have just run its course.
It wouldn't be too hard to find a trade partner for Portis... On one condition. Shipping out Portis for assets or young, unproven players shouldn't be hard. Lots of contending teams could easily talk themselves into Portis. However, if the plan is to go all-in right now and acquire veterans to surround Giannis with in hopes he'll decide that Milwaukee is home... That might be tougher. Swapping veterans for other veterans is not as clear-cut as trading a veteran for assets, and the Bucks might not be able to get better right now in any potential Portis deal.
Bobby Portis has been a pillar of Milwaukee Bucks basketball
This is an important aspect to remember, too — he really is an icon of this franchise. Trading another one of those guys, like he did last season, wouldn't do Jon Horst any favors in the public eye... And his approval rating is already sinking by the day. Would it behoove him (and the Bucks) to keep Portis around and hope he turns back into the version of himself he's been for years?
For years, Portis has been a picture of consistency. Three times he's finished in the top 10 in Sixth Man of the Year voting, and the team knew exactly what he would provide on a nightly basis. Now, his nightly production is far from a sure thing. Portis has played some good games, but there are far too many nights in which he looks like he's sabotaging the Bucks' attempts at winning.
There might be a domino effect in Milwaukee. If Giannis isn't dealt, and the Bucks try to salvage this season, the best course of action might be doing nothing with Portis. If things blow up (cross your fingers this isn't the case), then it would make sense for Portis to be second in line to find a new home.