Bucks forward/center Bobby Portis has the ability to become an unrestricted free agent this summer by turning down his $4.56MM player option for 2022/23. However, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article that some teams with interest in Portis are extremely pessimistic about their chances of luring the veteran out of Milwaukee.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Portis will exercise his player option. Because he has spent the last two seasons with the Bucks, they now hold his Early Bird rights and would be able to offer him a raise if he opts out. There’s an expectation that Portis will sign a multiyear deal with Milwaukee if he declines his option, according to Stein.
Assuming the Bucks use Portis’ Early Bird rights to re-sign him, they’ll have to offer him a deal covering at least two seasons, since Early Bird contracts can’t be for just one year. They can also offer up to 105% of the league-average salary from the previous season — that should result in a maximum starting salary in the vicinity of $11MM.
Here’s more from Stein:
- Based on the rumors circulating in coaching circles, it sounds as if Juwan Howard was the Lakers‘ preferred candidate in their head coaching search, according to Stein. Los Angeles made such “strong overtures” to Howard that it appeared the team preferred him to other long-shot targets like Quin Snyder and Doc Rivers and was willing to offer him the job if he wanted it, Stein adds. Howard wasn’t interested in leaving the University of Michigan, and L.A. ultimately hired Darvin Ham.
- The Celtics also had strong interest in Howard a year ago after Brad Stevens moved from the sidelines to the front office and before the team hired Ime Udoka, says Stein. The Lakers will be hoping their new hire works out as well as Udoka has in Boston.
- Stein continues to hear that the Hornets are likely to choose between Mike D’Antoni and Kenny Atkinson as they near the end of their head coaching search. D’Antoni and Atkinson were previously identified as finalists for the job, but it wasn’t clear if they were the only candidates still in play.
What’s Ham going to? Offer some 1890s elixir to make LeBron and AD play a full season? The Lakers are so screwed right now.
1890? Lakers are just fine. Your recency bias has intersected with your anti-Bron bias & got u talkin crazy. LAL def has work to do roster-wise but obv having 2 of the best players in the world is an extremely good starting point
Lakers ARE NOT FINE.
they’re just fine
Eh not as screwed as many think.
Trade Westbrook to the Knicks for some bad contracts. Helps both teams really.
Buy up some 2nd round picks. Try out a whole bunch of guys during summer league.
They may not win a title or even make the playoffs doing this but least they’ll be more competitive with a better roster and younger guys.
Orlando should offer Portis a 3yr, $40M contract. They should also draft Paolo Banchero
They have Jonathan Isaac three more years at 17 million and Wendell Carter four more years contract and then Mo Bamba. Probably let Mo Bamba walk?
If they sign Portis and draft Banchero, one of the 4 guys will never play and a second will be not playing very much?
Sounds like that might create a roster crunch at the 4 and 5? Or is Banchero a 3?
Yea I’d let Bamba walk, maybe try to get a 2nd rd pick for him in a sign&trade if possible tho. JI would def be my starter at the 4. I’d prob start Portis at the 5 but a training camp competition bw Wendell & Portis for the starting 5spot could be a knives sharpening knives type situation. Paolo is definitely more of a 3 than a 4 imo, especially rn when he’s not nearly as strong as most NBA 4s. Tbh he’s more of a point forward ala Grant Hill/LeBron than anything. He could even start at the 2 similar to how Seattle/Carlesimo used KD as a rookie… basically they’d have Portis, Wendell, JI, Franz & Paolo playing majority of the frontcourt mins. 3 of them would start & 2 off the bench… Portis is basically a tougher, better, shorter version of Bamba rn. Orl is a team that desperately needs to get tougher & just more mature. Signing a respected, champ like Portis is exactly what the doctor ordered
Okay makes sense. I was thinking Banchero a 4 but you’re right he can play the three and be successful.
I know it’s a very lofty comparison but I see Banchero’s ceiling as Chris Webber with better shot creation and ball handling without the explosive athleticism. He’s naturally strong and has a low center of gravity. So he can bully some 4’s down low but he grew up as a guard so he still has those skills.
Giannis is listed as a PF but doesn’t really have a position. I see Banchero in a similar role offensively. He needs a good rim protector next to him though if he plays PF defensively.
He doesn’t play like Webber at all. Webber was a post-up big. He was a 5 at Michigan. Paolo was more like Jalen Rose if we’re using Fab5 guys. Paolo is extremely versatile but putting him down low where he will be weaker/smaller than most of his counterparts, is basically clipping his wings. He’s much better facing the basket as a creator & using his quickness, agility to play mostly vs smaller guys. He was way more like Grant Hill at Duke than Webber at Michigan imo. Tbh he’s the most similar guy I’ve seen to GHill other than like Bron. Siakam is another guy that he reminds me of. Except Paolo is as good at 19 as Pascal was at like 24
Banchero is in no way small or week. He’s is listed at 6’10” 250. That’s the same weight and one inch shorter than KAT.
I didn’t choose C Webb for his Michigan days. In his prime yes Webber was a great post-up player but he had exceptional handles, he was a great passer and he could faceup and beat any big off the dribble with his handles or sheer athleticism. Then if all else failed he could take it out to about 18ft and drain a jumper. I chose Webber as a comp because he was very versatile. I also saw a lot of those same skills when I watched Banchero.