With Damian Lillard no longer on the roster, the Milwaukee Bucks will need to reshuffle their backcourt in 2025/26. One of the biggest adjustments involves Kevin Porter Jr., who is expected to take on a much larger role.
Asked about Porter’s responsibilities this season, head coach Doc Rivers indicated that the plan is to move him into the starting point guard role, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
“He started out as a high draft pick. He started. They put the ball in his hands. He could literally take any shot and he did,” Rivers said. “And now he comes from that, from not playing at times, coming off the bench, being out of the league, to now back to starting. And that’s a huge responsibility for him to run the team and still be aggressive.
“That’s the hardest thing to do, I think, in basketball is from the point guard, understand when and when. It’s just hard, and so I’m sure at times he’ll be great at it and then at times he may struggle at it, but we’ll support him and get him right.”
Rivers’ comments reflect both the opportunity and the challenge for Porter. As he pointed out, the 25-year-old guard has experience as a starting point guard from his time in Houston, where he ran the Rockets’ offense between 2021 and 2023.
However, Porter’s career trajectory was interrupted by a domestic violence incident that kept him out of the NBA during the entire 2023/24 season.
When he returned to action in 2024/25, Porter’s form was inconsistent early on with the Clippers, but he regained rhythm after being traded to Milwaukee at the deadline.
In 30 regular season games for the Bucks, he averaged 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists across 19.9 minutes per game, shooting an efficient .494 from the field, .408 from beyond the arc, and .871 from the free throw line.
Now, with Lillard’s departure opening a major role in the backcourt, the Bucks are entrusting Porter with steering the offense while maintaining the scoring aggressiveness that has long been part of his game.
As Rivers suggested, the transition will not be without bumps, but the organization is prepared to support him through the process.
Eastern Notes: Porter, Celtics, Magic, Hornets, Wiseman https://t.co/BYDJovzk4h pic.twitter.com/5HQVypfr5N
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) October 1, 2025
