Bobby Portis agrees to 3-year, $44 million deal to remain with Milwaukee Bucks

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.