Bucks’ Kevin Porter Jr. makes decision after Giannis Antetokounmpo trade

After a year cut short by a season-ending right knee injury, Kevin Porter Jr. has settled his future in Milwaukee. A league source confirmed to The Athletic that the guard plans to exercise his $5.4 million player option for the 2026-27 season, keeping him with the Bucks.

The decision lands days after the franchise traded Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, a move that pushed Milwaukee into a full rebuild.

So why opt in rather than test free agency? Opportunity may be the biggest factor. With Giannis gone, the Bucks have a wide-open scoring and playmaking void, and Porter is positioned to soak up heavy minutes and on-ball reps in the new-look offense. In a lineup no longer built around a superstar, Porter could see the ball in his hands more than at any point since his Houston days.

That timing matters too. Porter underwent season-ending knee surgery in April, and a guard coming off fewer than half a season of action could have struggled to land a big payday this offseason. Opting in lets him stack numbers, prove his health and reset his market value on his own terms.

His production backs the bet. Porter averaged 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals last season while shooting 46.5 percent from the field. He started 36 of his 38 games despite a knee problem that surfaced in the season opener.

The 26-year-old landed in Milwaukee through a February 2025 trade with the Clippers and has also played for the Cavaliers and Rockets

His return still adds a wrinkle to a crowded backcourt. Ryan Rollins is in line for a bigger role, and the Bucks leaned guard in the draft, so Porter’s exact spot in the rotation stays an open question.

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