With Giannis Antetokounmpo's return right around the corner, the Milwaukee Bucks' starting lineup is in for some reshuffling. One change they should not make is moving Kevin Porter Jr. back to the bench, like they ultimately did when Giannis returned from injury earlier this season.
The Bucks already know Porter is the team's second-best shot creator. And now, perhaps even more importantly, Cam Thomas is in town. Bringing both of them off the bench doesn't make much sense.Â
Cam Thomas acquisition changes the calculus entirely
The Bucks signed Thomas to come in and be a microwave scorer in the second unit. He obliged by dropping 34 points in his second game. To be effective, he needs the ball in his hands and a green light to shoot. He has one mission on the court: put the ball in the basket.Â
It's supposed to be the Cam Thomas Show when he gets rolling. That's what the Bucks brought him in to do: take over the scoring while starters rest.
One thing he isn't is a high-level facilitator. Porter, by contrast, dishes out plenty of assists. Could the Bucks make a bench group work with Porter playing point guard and Thomas at the two?Â
In reality, that sounds like a recipe to get less out of both players. Limited reserve minutes are available. Porter can operate off the ball, but like Thomas, getting the most out of him means giving him the rock. No, the Bucks don't need Porter shooting twenty times a game, but artificially suppressing one of the roster's few volume producers is far from ideal.Â
The whole premise of bringing Porter off the bench to the bench was to have him run the second unit. It was meant to spread out the roster's thin supply of shot creation and give Ryan Rollins room to operate with Giannis in the starting five. The Thomas addition recalibrates the equation.Â
For one thing, of Rollins and Porter, the former is more compatible with Thomas' style. Shot diet is a factor. Thomas and Porter make a fair living in the mid-range. Rollins attempts a higher volume of threes, of both the pull-up and catch-and-shoot variety. Of the trio, he is the most efficient and the most natural knockdown shooter.
Starting Porter and staggering him with Thomas to reduce overlap seems like the best way to distribute touches, space the floor, and give everyone more room to operate.Â
If Porter stays, though, then who goes? With him and Rollins in the backcourt, who to start at small forward would be the question at hand for Doc Rivers.
If the Bucks have learned anything, it's that they should maximize minutes for the team's best players. Porter is averaging 17.2 points, 7.6 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. On the team, those figures rank second, first, fourth, and first.
Yes, he can be reckless. His efficiency has been up and down after a scorching start and turnovers can be an issue, but he has produced a strong month in both categories. Porter is still a top-three asset on the roster, and the Bucks should treat him like it.