Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. will miss about four weeks after tearing his meniscus in his right knee, the team announced Friday. He’ll undergo what the Bucks described as a “minor orthopedic procedure” to fix the injury.
This is another setback for Porter, who was already working his way back from a left ankle sprain. According to the team, he hurt his knee during on-court training on Thursday.
Talk about bad timing. Porter sprained his ankle just nine minutes into his season debut, and now this knee injury pushes his return back by at least a month.
“Medical Update: Kevin Porter Jr. sustained a right knee meniscus injury during his on-court return-to-play training yesterday,” the Bucks posted on social media. “The injury will require a minor orthopedic procedure that will sideline him for approximately four weeks. Further updates will be provided as necessary.”
Porter, 25, has had a winding journey to Milwaukee. The Bucks actually drafted him 30th overall in 2019 out of USC, but immediately traded him to Cleveland.
The Seattle native spent his rookie year with the Cavs before being shipped to Houston in January 2021.
His time with the Rockets showed his potential. Porter averaged a career-best 19.2 points in 59 games during the 2022-23 season, all as a starter.
But his career hit a major roadblock when he missed the entire 2023-24 season following a domestic violence incident that triggered an NBA investigation that wasn’t resolved until July.
Finding His Way Back
Porter made his return to basketball with the Los Angeles Clippers last season, where he put up decent numbers – 9.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists in about 20 minutes per game across 45 appearances.
The Bucks acquired him at the trade deadline last February.
He seemed to find his groove in Milwaukee, averaging 11.7 points while shooting an impressive 49.4% from the floor and 40.8% from three-point range in 30 games.
Things were looking up for Porter heading into this season. Coach Doc Rivers had named him the team’s starting point guard after he signed a two-year deal over the summer.
With Porter sidelined, Ryan Rollins has stepped up and made the most of his extended minutes. Free agent pickup Cole Anthony has also been a key contributor off the bench.
The Bucks will continue adjusting to life without Porter when they host the Sacramento Kings on Saturday.
