Milwaukee Bucks swingman Gary Trent Jr. spoke candidly about what Bobby Portis’ upcoming return will bring to the team following a 25-game suspension.
In a statement shared by The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, Trent said, “It means everything, as a team, as a collective group. His energy, that spirit. And then just personally myself as someone on that second unit, I miss him to death. He made my job way easier, so him being back will be a beautiful thing and I can’t wait until he’s back.”
Portis was suspended on February 20 after testing positive for the banned painkiller Tramadol, which violated the NBA’s anti-drug program.
At the time of the suspension, Milwaukee held a 29–24 record and was clinging to fifth in the Eastern Conference.
Since then, the Bucks have gone 15–10, improving their overall record to 44–34 and currently sitting in fifth place, trailing the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers by one game.
Before his suspension, Portis appeared in 46 games and averaged 13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists across 25.2 minutes per contest.
The 30-year-old veteran has anchored Milwaukee’s second unit throughout the season, bringing interior toughness and scoring versatility off the bench.
The Bucks are in a tight playoff race, with just four games remaining in the regular season and the sixth-seeded Detroit Pistons only one game behind them in the standings.
