It was another disappointing season for the Milwaukee Bucks. After winning their first championship in 50 years in 2021, they have only won one playoff series total over the ensuing three years. Each of the last two seasons has resulted in a first round loss.
This season saw the Bucks lose in five games in the opening round to the Indiana Pacers. With their focus now on the offseason, let’s predict whether the Bucks key free agents will stay or leave in the offseason.
Stay Or Go? Predicting What Happens With Bucks Free Agents
Pat Connaughton (Player Option) – Stay
A Bucks player for each of the last seven seasons, Pat Connaughton has a player option for around $9.4 million. Being that he ended the year mostly out of the rotation, expect the 32-year-old to exercise his option for 2025-26.
In the five-game series with Indiana, Connaughton only played 13 total minutes. In the regular season finale when the Bucks rested many of their players, he scored a career-high 43 points in the contest.
Brook Lopez (Unrestricted) – Leave
Now 37 years old, Brook Lopez has done an excellent job of extending his career with the Bucks. He has also stayed healthy, missing just nine combined games over the last three years. While he has developed into a strong rim protector and stretch five, Lopez did not have a good series against the Pacers. After starting all of his 80 regular season outings and first four postseason games, he came off the bench in Game 5 and played just eight minutes.
In the opening round series loss, Lopez scored just 21 total points. In the regular season, the 17-year veteran posted averages of 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.9 blocks. He also connected on 37.3% of his three-point tries. With how the Indiana series played out, and with Milwaukee potentially entering a new chapter for the franchise, expect Lopez to move on after seven years with the team.
Kevin Porter Jr. (Player Option) – Stay
Just 24 years old, Kevin Porter Jr. has a player option for 2025-26 worth about $2.55 million. Traded to the Bucks in February, expect the 6-foot-4 guard to decline the option. Despite that, Milwaukee likely saw his value and will look to bring him back (at a reasonable price).
While off-the-court issues kept him out of the league in 2023-24, Porter Jr. played a large role with the Bucks. He was in the starting lineup for their Game 5 loss to Indiana. In 30 regular season games, he averaged 11.7 points and shot 40.8% from three-point range. A large role could be awaiting him next season as well especially with Damian Lillard out an undetermined amount of time due to a torn Achilles.
Bobby Portis (Player Option) – Leave
Since joining the Bucks starting in 2020-21, Bobby Portis has been one of the more productive reserves. He has two third-place and a ninth-place finish in Sixth Man of the Year voting. The 30-year-old likely would have been in the voting results again this season, if not for a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.
In his 49 regular season games this year, Portis finished with averages of 13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. His player option is for approximately $13.45 million which he may decline in order to search for a multi-year deal.
Taurean Prince (Unrestricted) – Leave
The 31-year-old Taurean Prince provided excellent value on a minimum deal this year for Milwaukee. Starting 73 of his 80 regular season appearances, he finished third in the NBA this season in three-point accuracy (43.9%).
Much like Lopez though, Prince’s impact was minimal come postseason time. After starting the first two games, he played just 22 minutes total over the last three. Prince scored six points in Game 2, but he went scoreless in the other four.
Ryan Rollins (Restricted) – Stay
On a two-way contract for much of the year, Ryan Rollins was converted to a standard deal in early March. After playing minimally for three different teams in the previous two seasons, the 22-year-old guard had a role for much of the year with Milwaukee.
He started 19 games for the Bucks in the regular season as well as Game 1 of their playoff series. While not on huge volume, Rollins connected on 40.8% (49-120)
Jericho Sims (Unrestricted) – Stay
Now 26 years old, Jericho Sims was acquired by the Bucks via trade in February. Utilized as the backup big man, he missed the final 15 games of the regular season due to a torn ligament in his right thumb. Sims returned for the playoffs, averaging 11.6 minutes, 2.8 points, and four rebounds.
While Sims is never going to provide much in the scoring department, he does possess some valuable qualities. He is a strong rebounder and above-average rim protector. Milwaukee should look to bring him back around a minimum salary as a backup/third-string center.
Gary Trent Jr. (Unrestricted) – Leave
Unfortunately, Gary Trent Jr. will be most remembered for the unforced error towards the end of Game 5 that allowed the Pacers to end the series. It’s a shame because for the second time in the series, the 26-year-old went off on the offensive end. He scored 33 points, just two games after Trent Jr. dropped 37 points in Game 3.
Much like Prince, Trent Jr. was an excellent minimum-salary signing by the Bucks. The seven-year pro shot 41.6% on threes on the year, just shy of his career-best (upped it to 50% in the playoffs). While his 11.1 scoring average was his lowest in five years, it should be expected that Trent Jr. should receive more than a minimum deal this offseason, perhaps with someone other than the Bucks.
Photo credit: © Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
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