MILWAUKEE (AP) — Bobby Portis, one of the league's top reserves, declined his player option for next season and instead agreed to a three-year, $44 million contract to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks, agent Mark Bartelstein confirmed Sunday.
Portis has gotten votes for the league's sixth man of the year in three of the last five seasons.
ESPN first reported the deal, which replaces an option where Portis could have made $13.4 million.
The 30-year-old Portis has been a fan favorite since joining the Bucks for their 2020-21 championship season. He averaged 13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 49 games last season, one that included a 25-game suspension after he violated the league’s anti-drug program by testing positive for a banned substance. Portis insisted he did so inadvertently, saying he thought he was taking an approved substance while treating an elbow injury.
The season was trying for Portis in other ways as well. He missed time while grieving the death of his grandmother, and his home was burglarized.
In his five seasons with Milwaukee, Portis has averaged 13.6 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 49.4% from the floor and 39.7% from 3-point range. He entered the NBA in 2015 and played for the Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards and New York Knicks before joining the Bucks.
Portis’ decision comes as 7-footer Brook Lopez heads into unrestricted free agency. Lopez, 37, has played for the Bucks since 2018 and averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 80 games last season.
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