Bucks Standout Breaks Silence Amid Trade Rumors

To no one’s surprise, the Milwaukee Bucks have had a quiet offseason after getting bounced in the first round of the NBA playoffs by the Indiana Pacers. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were dealing with injuries, which hampered Milwaukee’s postseason ceiling.

That said, there have been trade rumors surrounding multiple players on the team (Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, and Brook Lopez) over the last couple of weeks, as Milwaukee could look to shake up the roster around Lillard and Antetokounmpo.

Despite Portis, Connaughton, and Lopez being involved in trade rumors, the Bucks have yet to trade any of those veterans. It would be shocking to see Portis and Lopez traded this offseason as both guys have played integral parts in the Bucks’ success over the past few seasons.

Expect the unexpected, but nothing is off-limits regarding the NBA offseason. If there’s a deal that could make the Bucks better, it would be in their best interest to explore it.

Speaking of Portis, the 29-year-old forward posted an interesting message on social media on the 4th of July, catching the attention of Bucks fans.

Since the tweet was vague, we don’t know if Portis is speaking about his name being involved in trade rumors or fans disrespecting his game. That said, no one should be throwing shade at the veteran big man as he’s been a top-3 finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year award in two straight seasons.

Portis averaged 13.8 points and 7.4 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game off the bench. He also shot a career-high 50.8 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from deep (three attempts per game).

With Portis being one of the best role players in the NBA, it wouldn’t be a great idea for the Bucks to trade him, especially if they aren’t getting a massive upgrade elsewhere on the roster.

Portis is set to make $12.5 million next season and has a player option worth $13.4 million for the 205-26 season. For the production that the Bucks are getting from Portis, it’s a steal that he’s only making $12.5 million for the 2024-25 season.

Nonetheless, the veteran forward is a key part of what the Bucks do on the court, and it would be a mistake for Milwaukee to move on from him. 

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