Bucks' Kevin Porter Jr. contract decision makes huge difference in keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo

Billy Heyen

Bucks' Kevin Porter Jr. contract decision makes huge difference in keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo image

The Milwaukee Bucks need to do everything they can to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo around.

They might never land another face of the franchise quite like Giannis. If he requests a trade, it could doom the entire franchise.

So this is a crucial offseason.

And the Bucks made a good move toward keeping Antetokounmpo happy on Monday night. They brought back Kevin Porter Jr.

The deal is for two years and $11 million, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

MORE: Nuggets ditch Michael Porter Jr. in huge trade for outside shooting superstar

In 30 games for the Bucks last season, Porter averaged 11.7 points and 3.7 assists per game. He shot 41% from 3-point range.

He's a huge keep for the Bucks, especially with Damian Lillard having just torn his Achilles in the playoffs.

Porter will get a huge usage rate in 2025-26. He's always been immensely talented.

The issues during Porter's NBA career have always been off the court. If the Bucks can keep him on the floor, he might be able to keep Giannis around.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle