Kevin Porter Jr. returning to Milwaukee Bucks after agreeing to new contract

Kevin Porter Jr. has agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Porter Jr.’s deal includes a player option in 2026-27.

Porter Jr. averaged 11.7 points and 3.7 assists per game for the Bucks this past season in 30 games with the team. He was traded mid-season from the Los Angeles Clippers after spending three seasons with the Houston Rockets.

Despite re-signing with his team, Porter Jr. was an unrestricted free agent to begin the new league year. He reportedly informed the Bucks that he would let his $2.5 million player option for the 2025-26 season expire. It appears they were happy to re-negotiate with the former USC Trojan.

Given Milwaukee’s star guard Damian Lillard will be recovering from his left Achilles tear for the majority of the 2025-26 season, Porter Jr.’s presence on the court will give the Bucks a massive boost in their back court.

Porter Jr. was at one time one of the top scoring options for the Houston Rockets during their rebuild. During the 2022-23 season, Porter Jr. averaged a career-high 19.2 points per game to go along with 5.7 assists. He was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder and subsequently after an arrest in Sept. 2023.

He pleaded guilty in January regarding a misdemeanor assault and harassment violation in connection with the incident, which involved his girlfriend. He did not play during the 2023-24 NBA season but went on to sign with the Clippers last offseason after his hiatus from the association. He played 45 games with the team before being traded at the deadline during the regular season.

Porter Jr. was the 30th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers after spending one season with the USC Trojans. He was traded away after some locker room issues came to light.

During his college career, Porter Jr. averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists across a 21-game season that was slowed down by injuries down the stretch. He was a four-star recruit, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He was the No. 27 overall player in the 2018 recruiting cycle.

He’ll return to a Milwaukee team that finished 48-34 overall last season. Despite earning a No. 5-seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs this season, they finished in third place in their division — snapping a six-year streak.