The Milwaukee Bucks have had an uneven 2025 offseason so far.
Granted, the team has had some definitive hits — including its decision to sign 3-and-D former Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner to a market-value four-season, $108.9 million free agent contract, and its one-year deal with recently bought-out young Orlando Magic reserve guard Cole Anthony (either a veteran's minimum or a $3.65 million room exception signing), its $43.6 million re-signing of Bobby Portis Jr., and its below-market minimum re-signings of Gary Trent Jr. and Taurean Prince.
But the Bucks also took some questionable swings, including their decision to stretch-and-waive the remaining $112.6 million owed to injured nine-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard (which gave them the cap space to sign Turner), their re-signing of unused combo forward Chris Livingston to a standard roster deal, and their decision to overlook Gary Harris' recent production and bring the over-the-hill wing on board for rotation minutes.
It's all been in service of placating nine-time All-NBA power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee hasn't even won a playoff series since 2022, and the 30-year-old superstar was staring down a long 2025-26 season with Lillard recovering from an Achilles tendon for most — or, more likely, all —of the year.
Antetokounmpo could demand to be traded away for a king's ransom at any moment. The Bucks did ultimately improve through their roster maneuvering, but it seems as if Milwaukee's ceiling is far below those of the revamped New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Magic, and Atlanta Hawks.
Now, another key Milwaukee free agent signing's offseason has hit a self-imposed obstacle.
The Bucks brought back guard Kevin Porter Jr. on a two-year, $10.5 million deal. Now, Law Murray of The Athletic reports that the NBA has concluded its investigation of a 2023 domestic violence arrest, after which Porter missed the entire 2023-24 season.
Now, Porter will serve a four-game suspension at the start of the 2025-26 season.
News @TheAthletic
— Law Murray 🎡 (@LawMurrayTheNU) July 17, 2025
The league’s investigation into Kevin Porter Jr.’s 2023 domestic violence incident has concluded, resulting in a four-game suspension.
Based on the facts and circumstances, the NBA and NBPA have agreed that the suspension is deemed to have been served.
The 6-foot-4 guard was arrested while playing for the Houston Rockets. He was later traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder and cut. Last summer, the L.A. Clippers inked Porter to a minimum deal. Milwaukee traded to acquire him ahead of the 2024-25 season's deadline.