Bucks forward Bobby Portis was suspended for 25 games on Thursday morning, an obvious blow to Milwaukee’s depth. The suspension will cost Portis $114,348 per game, or $2.85MM in total, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). Additionally, the Bucks receive a tax variance credit worth about $1.43MM, which is 50% of Portis’s lost salary.
That figure doesn’t come off Portis’s cap hit or the standard team salary. However, when it comes time to calculate Milwaukee’s tax bill at the end of the season, their total taxed salary will be reduced by that amount.
Before the suspension, the Bucks had an open roster spot. It’s unclear what Milwaukee’s exact plans were with that spot, but it’s important to note that two-way player Ryan Rollins has carved out a role for himself. Milwaukee would also be able to move Portis to the suspended list and sign an additional replacement player after he has been out for five games. Theoretically, the Bucks could fill their existing open roster spot and sign a replacement player.
In 46 games this season, Portis is averaging 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds. With his production out from the lineup for the next 25 games, the team could lean on deeper reserve bigs like Jericho Sims and/or Tyler Smith.
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- Injury luck will play a big part in whether Milwaukee can elevate itself from merely a playoff team to a true contender, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes. The Bucks are outside the top 10 in both offensive and defensive ratings, which are typical indicators of contention status. If stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are able to stay healthy for the rest of the season and into the playoffs after dealing with injuries during the 2024 postseason, Milwaukee could reach its potential, Nehm writes.
- The Bucks are in danger of not having home court advantage in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, when Joe Prunty was head coach. As Nehm writes in the same piece, the Bucks are a game behind the Pacers for fourth in the East, potentially setting up a rematch of last year’s first-round playoff series.
- Even with Portis out, the Bucks have no shortage of depth options, leading to questions about the rotation, per Nehm. Outside of starters Antetkounmpo, Lillard, Andre Jackson Jr., Brook Lopez and Kyle Kuzma, Milwaukee has five players vying for four rotation slots. Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr. and A.J. Green seem certain to play regular minutes, leaving coach Doc Rivers to decide on whether Rollins or Kevin Porter Jr. will be the ninth man.
It’s sink or swim time for Sims and Smith. Both are raw but maybe some time with Giannis is the key.
This Portis suspension is stupid. Tramadol isn’t performance enhancing. It’s basically a Vicodin, it’s a pain killer
Banned list of all drugs are posted in the lockeroom and the doctors know. It’s just moronic to get caught taking a hammer substance in 2025
It’s stupid that it’s a banned drug for basketball players. It’s not performance enhancing. It’s illegal. It’s just a typical painkiller
Painkillers are the original performance enhancing drug. Pain is performance restricting, and thus painkillers are performance enhancing. Consistently, there isn’t a prohibited list of drugs in any sport that doesn’t include painkillers.
Lots of painkillers are allowed. Bits legal for athletes to take toradol injections before every game? That’s also a pain killer, a gnarly one at that. If anything tramadol is just going to make you tired and slow your reaction time, that is if he even used it during a game. It’s a stupid rule imo
Sims just needs to set screens, rebound and play good defense, while giving Lopez a breather.
Porter on the other hand will need to replace Portis’ scoring off the bench.