Midway through last season, the Milwaukee Bucks traded for Kevin Porter Jr. in hopes of bolstering their guard depth. Ahead of his first full season with the franchise, he’s been cited as a player to keep an eye on.
As most know, it’s been a busy offseason for the Bucks after suffering another first-round playoff exit. Among their most notable decisions was waiving and stretching All-Star guard Damian Lillard to create cap space to sign Myles Turner.
With Lillard no longer on the roster, the Bucks have a glaring need to fill in their starting backcourt. As a former first-round pick and someone who has experience as a starter, Porter Jr. is likely to have a much larger role in Milwaukee in 2026.
Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. named 2026 fantasy basketball sleeper
A few weeks out from training camp, the staff at ESPN compiled a list of fantasy basketball sleepers for the upcoming season. Due to Milwaukee’s roster changes, Porter Jr. was among the players mentioned.
“In the wake of the Damian Lillard experiment, the Bucks don’t have much guard depth,” Jim McCormick wrote. “This pushes Porter into a meaningful on-ball role for the Bucks. The combo guard thrived in this capacity while Lillard was off the floor last season, posting an assist clip closer to a point guard, while averaging 19.3 points across his four starts for Milwaukee. Bucks coach Doc Rivers rides his starters, suggesting Porter could deliver big minutes and rousing numbers as the team’s top playmaker outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo.”
When given the chance to showcase his talents, Porter Jr. showed promise for the Bucks. He scored 20 or more points in five of his last eight games, including a near triple-double effort against the Miami Heat.
Seeing that he’s the closest thing they have to a lead guard now, Porter Jr. is in a position to be a major X-factor for the Bucks as they attempt to stay in the mix in the East.
