Porter Jr. tests the free market! The Bucks urgently try to keep him, and Lillard may become the starting point guard after reimbursement

On June 29, according to US media reporters Eric Nehm and Fred Katz, Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. has officially notified the team that he will refuse to implement the player option worth $2.55 million next season, choose to become a full free agent, and test the player market this summer.

For fans who follow the Bucks, Porter's choice is actually a sign of prematureness. The former first-round pick quickly found his place since trading from the Clippers to Milwaukee in February this year. In the 30 regular season games he played for the Bucks, he averaged 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, and his efficiency was quite good. In the higher intensity playoffs (5 games), his data increased to 11.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, showing outstanding control and scoring ability.

The Bucks management's willingness to pay attention to Porter Jr. is very clear. Scotto previously revealed that the team hopes to keep him in the team. The reason behind this strategy is clearly visible - the star Damian Lillard suffered a severe injury to a laceration of the Achilles tendon and was almost certain to be reimbursed next season. In the absence of a first-round pick and salary space is stuck in the team draft, unless strong aid is introduced through trading or free markets, Porter Jr. is undoubtedly the most realistic and economical choice to fill the starting point guard vacancy. For Porter, Lillard's accidental retreat also means that he has a valuable opportunity to prove himself and fight for a larger contract.

Potter Jr.'s NBA journey is full of twists and turns. He briefly left the NBA to play in the Greek league due to multiple off-court incidents last season (most notably the alleged attack on his then-girlfriend in September 2023, who eventually reached a plea agreement on misdemeanor assault and harassment charges in January 2024). Until July 2024, the Clippers gave him the opportunity to return to the league and signed a two-year base salary contract before he was traded to the Bucks in the middle of the season.

Now, Porter Jr.'s choice to break out of the contract is not only a test of his own market value, but also a key initiative in his career. Can he get a offer of more than $2.55 million in the free market? Can the Bucks match potential competitive quotations under salary pressure? More importantly, can he truly seize the starting opportunities brought by Lillard's injury, wash away the past with his continuous and stable performance, and win the long-term trust of the team and the league?