Bucks GM: It was Portis who chose the Bucks, I don t want to spend a day without him

According to previous reports, Bucks veteran center Portis renewed a three-year, $44 million contract with the team after rejecting the $13.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season.

In response, Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in an interview that he had worried about losing Portis. He said: "I was so nervous. I didn't want to spend a season, a training, or even a day without Portis, and he was a part of my team. I think Portis has largely reflected the spiritual qualities of our team. He is the kind of person who is not favored but can make a comeback. He will fight and work hard.

In my opinion, no one cares more about the Milwaukee Bucks than Portis. He loves the Bucks, he feels like a home, the city and the fan community accept him, this ball The team accepted him, too. And he is still paying for our team, making concessions in salary, and contributing in every aspect. I feel that negotiations with his agent are difficult, and in this industry I appreciate him no less than anyone, but I think we finally reached a suitable agreement. But the negotiation process is really tricky. "

At the same time, Bucks general manager Jon Horst believes that Portis is an integral part of the team's culture, which is why he is worried that Portis will be poached by other teams. He continued: "It was Portis who chose us. He didn't lack other options, but he just wanted to stay here. He longed for victory and wanted to win the championship with this group of teammates. He liked to play alongside Antetokounmpo and was happy with our operations in the free agent market. He had a high opinion of the players we kept. I talked a lot with him about the lineup and his views on different players. I was really excited to stay."

Last season, Portis played in 46 games and averaged 13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.