Prior to the Milwaukee Bucks' matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, Doc Rivers said that he would be shocked if Kevin Porter Jr. returned this season. The guard has been out since March 17 with knee swelling, and with nine games to play, the team clearly feels like the best move is to shut him down to get him some needed rest.
Porter's injury-riddled campaign is over
The injuries for Porter started from day one, literally. In the first game of the season, just nine minutes in, the combo guard went down with an ankle injury. When training to return, he suffered a torn meniscus that sat him down until the end of November. Porter also battled an oblique injury. Now, he has been battling swelling in the same knee in which he tore his meniscus previously.
While it's not the ideal outcome, as it means he's injured, sitting Porter is likely the best move for the Bucks right now. They were officially eliminated from postseason contention following their blowout loss to the Spurs. With nine games to go, they aren't playing for anything. Porter can run out the clock and spend the rest of the regular season rehabbing.
On a different note, it will be interesting to see if Giannis Antetokounmpo follows his lead. There has been plenty of chatter about the Greek Freak wanting to play, but that was before the Bucks were eliminated from postseason contention. Perhaps this axing will finally make it clear that his best course of action is to rest for the remainder of the NBA season rather than risk his health.
Porter's value to Milwaukee Bucks will soon be revealed
In the coming months, Porter must decide what to do with his $5.4 million player option. Looking at the numbers, one would think he'd decline it to seek a raise. After all, he had one of his best years to date, averaging 17.4 points, 7.2 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. Those numbers are worth a quality chunk of change in today's NBA.
The problem is that, if Rivers' speculation proves true, Porter will have only played in 38 matchups in 2025-26. That's not a large sample size, especially if the guard wants long-term commitment. Porter has a decision to make, and it will show exactly how the Milwaukee Bucks feel about him. Did they see enough of him to make him their franchise point guard long term? That's the question.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.