Bucks' Bobby Portis declining $4.6 million option to become free agent

It was around this time last year when Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis declined a $3.8 million player option to become a free agent. 

Portis ultimately stayed put, but history has repeated itself early this summer. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday afternoon that Portis has informed the Bucks he's declining his $4.6 million option to become a free agent. Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel adds the move was expected and also that "a league source said there is a good chance Portis and the Bucks will come to terms on an agreement in principle once the negotiating window reopens" on Thursday. 

Milwaukee holds early Bird rights for Portis, and ESPN's Bobby Marks reports the best deal the Bucks can offer the 27-year-old is four years and $49 million. Any contract proposal from the Bucks must be for a minimum of two years and cannot include an option. 

Portis helped the Bucks win the NBA title in the spring and summer of 2021 and then returned to the organization via a two-year, $9 million contract with a player option for the second year. He started 59 of 72 regular season games filling in for an injured Brook Lopez and averaged 14.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 28.2 minutes, all career highs. 

Portis shot 47.9% from the field and 39.3% from beyond the three-point line.