Kevin Porter Jr.'s decision on his player option will be one of the Milwaukee Bucks' first big dominoes of the NBA offseason. If the guard opts out, he will have the ability to test the free agent market, and his return to Milwaukee will be far from a slam dunk. Perhaps preparing for that scenario, the Bucks reportedly have Wake Forest's Hunter Sallis on their workout list ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Hunter Sallis could give the Milwaukee Bucks help in the backcourt
Porter's scoring and defensive instincts were helpful in the Bucks' backcourt after coming over at the NBA Trade Deadline, and Sallis could look to bring that in his own right.
During his two seasons at Wake Forest, Sallis averaged 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Like Porter, Sallis is a crafty three-level scorer with the ball in his hands, able to piece together a highlight play at any moment. On defense, he often jumped into passing lanes and forced turnovers, leading to transition opportunities (something this team desperately needs more of).
Sallis, a four-year college pro, fits right in with what the Milwaukee Bucks should be looking for in this draft in terms of experience. This team needs players who can help now, and that will only be turned up a notch if Kevin Porter Jr. does indeed walk. That goes without even mentioning the Achilles tear that will likely cost Damian Lillard most of his 2025-26 NBA season. Guard help could be a necessity.
One not-so-great comparison to Porter is that Sallis oftentimes settles for poor shots rather than keeping the ball moving, which can disrupt the flow of the offense. It came back to bite Milwaukee in the postseason. However, the good certainly outweighs the bad with Sallis. If they need backcourt depth and pick him 47th overall, it would be incredibly justifiable.
Of course, there is a world where the Milwaukee Bucks keep Porter and still take Sallis. There's still no guarantee that Porter declines his player option in the first place.
That could be quite the pairing, as these two can score the ball and generate turnovers consistently at a high level. Whether he's a backup plan for Porter or a potential partner, the Bucks working out Hunter Sallis is an interesting development as the 2025 NBA Draft inches closer.
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