NBA Rumors: Bobby Portis Expected to Sign New Bucks Contract in Free Agency

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

The Milwaukee Bucks are expected to sign Bobby Portis to a new multiyear contract, per longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein on his Substack (h/t RealGM Wiretap).

Portis has been with the Bucks for the past two years. He signed a two-year, $8.9 million contract with Milwaukee in 2021 that carries a 2022-23 player option for $4.5 million, which Portis is expected to decline en route to a new multiyear deal.

The same situation more or less happened in 2021, as Portis signed a two-year, $7.4 million agreement in Nov. 2020 with a 2021-22 player option. Portis declined that option and agreed to a new deal.

The 27-year-old Portis is well deserving of a big raise. He played 72 games (59 starts) and averaged a career-high 14.6 points and 9.1 rebounds along the way.

Portis proved to be an invaluable member of the team as the Bucks got hit with injuries to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez. He started in their places and proved to be a double-double threat on a game-by-game basis.

The fan favorite helped the Bucks reach the second round of the playoffs and push the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics to seven games despite the team missing Middleton all series with a sprained MCL. Portis averaged a double-double in the playoffs (10.6 PPG, 10.0 RPG) despite playing just 24.8 minutes per game.

Portis was also a key member of the Bucks’ 2020-21 championship squad, posting 11.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game off the bench in the regular season.

The Bucks should be in contention once again for an NBA title with their Antetokounmpo-led core, and retaining Portis would only help as Milwaukee looks for another deep playoff run in 2023.