Does Kevin Porter Jr. fit with this Bucks rebuild?

Kevin Porter Jr. is in an interesting spot as he enters his third season with the Milwaukee Bucks. The 25-year-old exercised his $5.39 million player option to return to the Bucks after an impressive season that was cut short due to injuries.

In the 38 games he appeared in, Porter Jr. averaged 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game. He played his final game of the year on March 17 before he needed arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to miss the remainder of the season.

For next season, Porter Jr. will be playing for Milwaukee, but what does the future hold for him?

It's going to be the first year without Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Bucks and there will be some growing pains with a young and new team, for head coach Taylor Jenkins. The Bucks are going to need all of the help they can get if they want to prove the doubters wrong, but the expectations for a 50-lost team that just lost their franchise player isn't exactly high.

If Porter Jr. plays anything like he did last season, he is going to be another productive piece, who can help contribute for Milwaukee. Even though he didn't shoot the ball efficiently, he excelled at attacking the basket, shot-creation and playmaking.

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We saw a glimpse of what he could do during the month of December when he averaged 19.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game while shooting 47.3% from the field and 37.5% from the 3-point line. However, as the Bucks navigate this rebuild, they're going to have to think about which players are going to be a part of the future and Porter Jr. might not be one of them.

One of the biggest question marks regarding this Milwaukee team heading into next season are the abundance of guards and what their roles will be.

New backcourt mates

The Bucks acquired two guards from the Antetokounmpo trade in Tyler Herro and Kasparas Jakučionis, and also drafted Brayden Burries with the No. 10 pick from the 2026 NBA Draft. They also planned to sign Gary Trent Jr. to a four-year, $64 million contract, but the deal is under investigation.

After a breakout season, Ryan Rollins will be the starting point guard and hopes to take that next step forward playing alongside Herro. They also traded Gary Harris and Taurean Prince to the Detroit Pistons for another guard in Caris LeVert, and still have AJ Green as well.

Young players like Burries and Jakučionis are both 20 years old and will be the future at the guard positions for years to come in Milwaukee. That's a lot of guards who's capable of making an impact on the floor with only so many minutes to go around.

Porter Jr. only has one year remaining on his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. The Bucks already have their future in Burries and Jakučionis, so the decision to bring him back wouldn't be the highest priority.

If Porter Jr. has a good year then I could see them bring him back and find a role for him, but it could also potentially threaten the playing time and development for Burries and Jakučionis. Milwaukee could also decide to trade Porter Jr. this season and get something in return rather than just letting him walk in free agency for nothing since his contract expires.

I think he's a solid piece and can make impact on any team, but with his injury history and younger players who're waiting for their opportunity, I don't see him as an essential part of the rebuild for the Bucks that they have to keep.

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