The question of who will be the secondary ball handler and creator on the Milwaukee Bucks looms large heading into the 2025-26 NBA season. In the past, players like Dame Lillard, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday have played that role at a high level. With none of those veteran guards left on the team, the weight will shift to a younger guard hoping to take a big leap this season in Kevin Porter Jr.
Kevin Porter Jr. is the Bucks' best creator behind Giannis
Kevin Porter Jr. showed impressive flashes last season, showcasing his unique ability to create shots off the dribble. He began his Milwaukee Bucks tenure coming off the bench, where he made an immediate impact with the second unit. His ability to score in bunches, provide energy, and be a pest defensively was a welcoming sign to a team that lacked youth and athleticism.
Near the end of the season, Porter played a larger role, filling the void left by Damian Lillard, who was sidelined with a blood clot in his calf. The team rattled off eight straight wins as they headed into the playoffs with KPJ playing a huge role as a creator, especially when Giannis was on the bench. Coach Doc Rivers continued to lean more heavily on Porter, increasing his minutes from 19.9 in the regular season to 30.2 in the playoffs.
Despite the exit in the first round against the eventual conference champion Indiana Pacers, it appears the front office is leaning into the style and lineups that played more significant minutes in that first-round matchup. Bringing back KPJ, re-signing Bobby Portis, keeping Gary Trent Jr., and waiving Dame Lillard show that the front office wants the team to be younger and more athletic moving forward.
This presents a significant opportunity for Porter to take a large step in his career. He has shown in the past that he is capable of being a main scoring option and creator on a team. In his third and final season with the Houston Rockets, Porter averaged 19.2 points and 5.7 assists per game. If he could replicate that type of production more efficiently, it could be huge for the Bucks come next season.
Despite the addition of Myles Turner and the seemingly seamless fit that it appears to be, Turner isn't a high-volume scorer. If Porter could step into that role, there is a chance he could be exactly what the Milwaukee Bucks need to take a step from a mid-level team in the East to a team that could compete to win the conference come playoff time next year.