Kevin Porter Jr. has been through plenty of injury issues this season, but just when it felt like he was fully healthy, he was dealt yet another. The guard has an oblique strain, and per Doc Rivers, "He’s not gonna play anytime soon, I can tell you that." The Milwaukee Bucks have played a good chunk of the season without Porter, and they will now have to do so once again.
Bucks lose Porter due to another injury
Rivers noted that the injury occurred three or four games ago. Looking at the stat sheet, that makes plenty of sense. Over his last four matchups, Porter hasn't looked right, averaging eight points while shooting 26.2 percent from the floor. As pointed out by The Athletic's Eric Nehm, Porter was visibly in pain at times, notably in Milwaukee's recent clutch win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Kevin Porter Jr. ended up playing 28 minutes against the Hawks, but to Rivers' observation, you can see him grabbing at his oblique on the first possession he played in Atlanta (video below).
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) January 22, 2026
He never made it down the floor on the defensive possession that followed: https://t.co/VZgqgNViMD pic.twitter.com/jig7Qk03z6
While recovery times vary, a mild oblique strain could take Porter a couple of weeks to heal. It's a brutal diagnosis for the guard, who has already been bitten by the injury bug. He played just nine minutes in the season opener before hurting his ankle. Upon his return to practice, he suffered a meniscus injury that sidelined him for a month. Now, he's dealing with this.
This is a difficult blow for Milwaukee, given that Porter is Milwaukee's second-leading scorer on the season. Since his return, he's been a go-to scorer and facilitator, helping take control of the offense. The Milwaukee Bucks will now have to get that production from someone else, and all eyes will be on Ryan Rollins, who has been stuck in the mud lately. Milwaukee needs him more than ever.
There is no good time for an injury like this, but this is particularly poor timing. The Milwaukee Bucks have won just one of their past four games, and they sit six games below .500. They need all hands on deck if they want to turn things around and get serious about a playoff run. With their second option out of the lineup, that becomes far more challenging.
One has to wonder if Porter's injury could force the Milwaukee Bucks to increase their interest in star point guard Ja Morant. They could certainly use another ball-handler and scorer in Porter's absence, and they may be willing to spend big to get it. A Morant trade may make a lot more sense now than it did a couple of days ago.
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