Milwaukee Bucks power forward Bobby Portis once again found his name in the rumor mill as trade rumors pointed to him being eyed for a potential trade, with the Wisconsin team rumored to be working on their budget to get a more capable player to compliment the strong names that they already have.
The Bucks have been a regular in the rumor mill, particularly during the early part of the season where they struggled to find their rhythm. The speculations got so wild that people even started suggesting that even star player Giannis Antetokounmpo may be considering a trade call. However, the team has since bounced back and even made it to the NBA Cup Finals to face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Still, as the trade deadline nears, the Bucks may look to rearrange their assets and take advantage of what wiggle room they have in the hopes of acquiring names that would complement their roster—and Bobby Portis may be a good trade candidate to shop around.
As revealed by Forbes reporter Evan Sidery: “The Bucks have gauged the trade market on Bobby Portis to find rotational upgrades.”
The Bucks have gauged the trade market on Bobby Portis to find rotational upgrades.
With Milwaukee over the second apron, they can’t take back salaries totaling more than Portis’ $12.6 million.
Portis is averaging 13.1 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 36.7% on threes. pic.twitter.com/FvdSS5vRhM
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) December 17, 2024
However, the Bucks’ financial status may prevent them from signing players that would exceed the salary of Portis, which would make any deal more complicated than it would have been.
Sidery continued: “With Milwaukee over the second apron, they can’t take back salaries totaling more than Portis’ $12.6 million.”
REPORT: Bucks Tried to Trade Bobby Portis to Dallas Mavericks
It seems that Bobby Portis may have been on the trading list not only for this season but also as far as the last season. ESPN reported that sources have confirmed to them that the Bucks have indeed tried to offer Portis to the Mavs for Grant Williams, but the Mavs passed.
Williams eventually got traded to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for PJ Washington.
Right now, almost 80% of the Bucks’ salary cap is spent on their top players: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez. This means that the rest of the team would have to share the remaining 20% of the salary budget, which makes finding a fit that would not exceed Portis’ salary value a little harder.
Bobby Portis so far is averaging 13.2 points per game, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. He shoots 47.7% of his field shots, and 38.2% from beyond the arc.
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