After a strong post-trade deadline showing with the Milwaukee Bucks, Kevin Porter Jr. has a choice to make regarding his future.
The guard has a $2.5 million player option for 2025-26. If he accepts it, he will be in Milwaukee for the next calendar year and get to build off last season's success. If he opts out, he will test the free agent waters in hopes of landing a larger, longer deal. There's likely some intrigue on both sides, but for the Milwaukee Bucks, they should hope Porter decides to follow the same path as Gary Trent Jr. and play out the season on a team-friendly deal.
Gary Trent Jr. offers a blueprint for Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr.
Gary Trent Jr. is destined to earn himself a raise after the year he just had with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Although the end result wasn't what the team wanted, Trent's gamble to bet on himself by signing an incredibly team-friendly minimum deal last offseason will certainly pay off when free agency opens. Whether it's in Milwaukee or somewhere else, Trent is going to earn himself a bump in pay. The Bucks employ another young guard in Kevin Porter Jr., who could potentially face a similar fate.
Whether Porter elects to accept his player option or decline it and return on a slightly bigger deal, coming back to Milwaukee on a team-friendly contract makes sense. With Damian Lillard injured and likely to miss a good chunk of next season, the Bucks need point guard help. They could serve as an ideal landing spot for any floor general looking for more touches and future financial gain.
If he were to return, there's a chance Porter could be Milwaukee's starter from day one next season, giving him a legitimate chance to shine in an increased role. In this scenario, a strong year could lead to him earning a massive raise during the 2026 NBA offseason, much larger than anything he'd earn this summer. There simply might not be a better opportunity out there for the rising guard.
It all starts with what Kevin Porter Jr. ultimately decides to do with his player option. For the Bucks, having him accept it or opting out with a goal of returning on a reworked contract would be a free agency win for a team with little financial flexibility as they brace to start next season without star point guard Damian Lillard available on the floor.
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