Bobby Portis is on a heater for the Milwaukee Bucks. His 3-point shot is scorching. His mid-range game is money. After an agonizing start to the season, he has activated 'Bobby Buckets' mode. Portis is playing so well, in fact, that it's created a painful paradox. With his value spiking and the front office looking to make trade waves, his Bucks tenure may be hurtling toward its end.
For the Bucks, Portis might be worth most as a trade chip
In the month of December, Portis is averaging 16.8 points and 7.8 rebounds on 47.5 percent 3-point shooting. He has scored in double figures in 11 of 12 games. He has eclipsed 20 points four times. That includes a team-high 25 in Monday's win over Charlotte.
Portis has only been better lately, in particular because of his efficiency and improved rebounding. Although he only grabbed a pair against the Hornets, he has recorded nine-plus in six of eight games. His red-hot hand has only grown hotter in that span, to the tune of 18.5 points per night on 55.1/54.1/90.9 shooting splits. As Giannis Antetokounmpo ramps back from a nearly month-long absence, the Bucks will continue to rely on Portis for scoring in the frontcourt.
Do they need his contributions? Absolutely. Is he helping them win games or at least keep them afloat? Ditto. Milwaukee is 4-4 in its last eight, and only two wins have come with Giannis.
Is he the All-Star the Bucks are seeking in a last-ditch effort to become genuine playoff contenders? No, he is not. But he could help bring one to Milwaukee.
At his best, Portis is a high-level role player and Sixth Man of the Year candidate. And for plenty of teams, on rosters more complete than the Bucks', he could be a missing piece. He is an asset.
For losing teams who just want to tank, Portis isn't good enough to disrupt their plans, but he's a valuable rotation piece who can entertain fans and consume minutes or be flipped for additional assets. His team-friendly three-year, $44 million contract would allow flexibility to reroute him immediately or hold onto him for now. In a multi-team deal involving a contender, he could find a permanent landing spot.
The way Portis is playing right now, packaging him in a trade would save the Buck additional sacrifices. Whatever draft compensation or other pieces they give up will not be as severe with a sell-high version of Portis supplying some extra juice. That means more protections on that tantalizing 2031 or 2032 first-rounder.
Alternatively, the Bucks could reduce or eschew protections on draft capital and gun for a bigger star than seemed possible. They still don't have the assets to blow the world away, but it could be the difference between a purely desperate move and a needle-mover.
Even better for the Bucks' trade prospects, Kyle Kuzma, likely to be part of any splashy move, has also boosted his value with a bounce-back season. They're still only role players, but an outgoing package of Portis plus Kuzma packs a lot more punch than it did in the preseason. While parting ways with Portis would hurt, it could be the Bucks' best path forward and one final favor from a long-time fan favorite in Milwaukee.