5 bigs Milwaukee Bucks could sign after Bobby Portis’ injury

Right when you think the Milwaukee Bucks are whole again, they’re hit with another significant injury. This time, it’s Bobby Portis.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton returned to the lineup on Monday, giving the Bucks a full-strength roster for the first time all season. Unfortunately, it didn’t even last one game, as Portis left with a knee injury.

As he was going up for a contested rebound, a Detroit Pistons’ player was also vying for it and landed on Portis’s leg, causing it to twist. He tried to gut it out, but was quickly subbed out. On Wednesday, it was reported he suffered an MCL sprain in his right knee and will “miss some time.”

The Bucks are notorious for failing to share details about a timetable for a return around injuries. They’ll play it safe considering it’s only January and they won’t be in any hurry to rush Portis back to the court.

With Milwaukee Bucks big Bobby Portis being diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his right knee, here are five possible free agent replacements.

In the meantime, they’ll need another big to step up and take his place. Portis averaged about 27 minutes per game, most of that time coming at the power forward position. However, he also shared the court with Antetokounmpo, serving as the five.

A trade can fill the gap left by Portis, as the deadline isn’t until February 9th. However, a quicker way to bring in a temporary replacement is via free agency. The barrier is that Milwaukee would have to open up a roster spot by releasing or trading someone. If they can do that, they could sign one of these guys to a deal for the rest of the season or use 10-day contracts to bridge the gap.

This list isn’t perfect, as these guys are free agents for a reason. However, they could be temporary solutions until the Bucks know more about Portis’s injury or can develop a long-term gap-filler.

Eric Paschall

Paschall was drafted in the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors and spent his first two seasons there before playing for the Utah Jazz last year. He’s remained a free agent the entire season and could be a short-term option for the Bucks. At 6-foot-6, he’s undersized, and his signing would mean Antetokounmpo spending more time at the 5.

Willie Cauley-Stein

Cauley-Stein is a versatile big-man defender who could help relieve Brook Lopez and Antetokounmpo. His signing would allow Antetokounmpo to stay at the 4 where he prefers. His offense would be a challenge, however, as he provides very little threat at that end of the court, clogging the lane for drivers.

LaMarcus Aldridge

Aldrige might be hard to coax out of semi-retirement, but he likely still has the itch to play. He’s a shell of his former self, but could play alongside either of Milwaukee’s bigs. He would provide some floor-spacing and offense, but don’t expect much from him on either end.

D.J. Wilson

Wilson is a familiar name to Bucks’ fans, being a former first-round pick of the team. He never developed as fans hoped, but he could be a temporary stopgap. He’s dynamic enough on defense to fill in at either big position and is athletic enough to make up for some of his shortcomings. However, his minutes should be kept to a minimum if he’s brought back.

DeMarcus Cousins

Cousins played in 17 games for the Bucks last season and held up fairly well. He even dropped a 22-point, 8-rebound game at one point and scored in double digits on six occasions with the team. He was well-liked in the locker room and is also familiar with the coaching staff. Hopefully, the Bucks didn’t burn any bridge to bring him back, as he may be the best big man on the market.

Here are other notable free-agent bigs:

• Ed Davis
• Greg Monroe
• Noah Vonleh
• Hassan Whiteside
• Cody Zeller
• Carmelo Anthony
• Trevor Ariza
• Jordan Bell
• Paul Millsap
• Jabari Parker