Kevin Porter Jr has signed a standard two-year, $11 million contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. This is a much overdue comeback for him after a brutal 2023-24 campaign. The deal carries a player option for the 2026-27 season. Porter endured a challenging season last year, sitting out the entire year as he dealt with legal troubles. These complications came about as a result of his arrest on September 19, 2023.
Porter’s individual trajectory is particularly relevant today, as he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers last summer. He played 45 games with them before the Bucks traded for him at the trade deadline last year. His tenure with the Clippers was cut short due to his arrest. This incident had longstanding repercussions and eventually cost him a waiver from Oklahoma City once his alleged predatory behavior was exposed. In January 2024, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and a harassment violation related to an incident involving his girlfriend.
Even with these challenges, though, Porter’s playoff performance represented a bright spot of potential promise. After the season-ending injury to star player Damian Lillard, Porter’s opportunities almost doubled as he continued to see heavy minutes, averaging 30.2 minutes per game. He demonstrated his scoring prowess in his cup of coffee with the Bucks earlier this season. He averaged 11.7 points on almost 50% shooting overall and 40% from three.
Prior to getting scooped up by the Clippers and Bucks, Porter was selected 30th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected him to play for their team. He struggled at the beginning of his professional career. After only one season with Cleveland, he was traded to the Houston Rockets.
After riling up the comment section on social media, earlier this summer, Porter rejected his $2.5 million player option. This groundbreaking move turned Reid into a free agent, enabling him to negotiate new terms with teams clamoring to lock him up. His recent signing with the Bucks provides Carter a second act to reinvigorate his NBA legacy. He could become an impact player on a young team that’s looking to improve their future fortunes.
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