Bobby Portis has agreed to a new three-year, $44 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, securing his place on the team through the 2027-28 season, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. This deal, which includes a player option for the final year, replaces Portis’s previous $13.4 million player option for 2025-26, signaling Milwaukee’s intent to maintain his presence as they navigate key roster decisions.
Portis’s Impact and Role in Bucks’ Lineup
Portis has been a crucial contributor for the Bucks, particularly off the bench, over recent seasons. In 2024-25, he averaged 13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, earning two consecutive selections as a Sixth Man of the Year finalist. Despite a 25-game suspension for testing positive for a banned painkiller, Portis returned strongly in the playoffs, posting 14.0 points per game in five postseason contests before Milwaukee’s first-round exit.
Since joining the Bucks in 2020 after stints with the Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, and New York Knicks, Portis has grown into one of the team’s most dependable offensive contributors. He played an important role in Milwaukee’s 2021 NBA championship run, averaging 8.8 points off the bench during that campaign. His ability to provide consistent scoring and rebounding will be increasingly valuable as the Bucks prepare for possible adjustments, including Damian Lillard’s absence due to his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon.
Strategic Significance of Portis’s New Contract Amid Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Speculation
Milwaukee is closely monitoring the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose willingness to stay with the Bucks may depend on the team’s offseason moves. Retaining Portis strengthens the Bucks’ bench depth and could serve as a key factor in encouraging Giannis to remain with the franchise despite circulating trade rumors. Shams Charania has noted that Antetokounmpo is watching the Bucks’ roster decisions carefully before making any requests.
Portis’s expanded role will be critical as the Bucks attempt to build a championship-contending squad capable of meeting Giannis’s expectations. His continuity on the team offers both immediate stability and long-term value as Milwaukee looks to maintain its position among the NBA’s elite.