INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MAY 02: Obi Toppin #1 of the Indiana Pacers guards Bobby Portis #9 of the … [+] Milwaukee Bucks during the first quarter of game six of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 02, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

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Forward Bobby Portis has been suspended 25 games by the NBA for violating the league’s anti-drug protocol.

While Portis and his team is objecting to the suspension, citing an unintentional intake of a banned substance, it’s unlikely that the league is going to overturn its decision.

That means the Bucks will be without one of their core players for almost the rest of the regular season, which comes at an inopportune time.

Who’s going to take the minutes?

With Portis out, the easy answer to his replacement is extending the minutes of both Giannis Antetokounmpo and newly acquired Kyle Kuzma, both of whom can play the power forward position.

Unfortunately, that comes with its own set of drawbacks, as Milwaukee will need both to be healthy when the playoffs roll around, and by extending their minutes during the regular season, odds are good that additional wear and tear will act as a detriment to the Bucks.

There is also the option of pivoting Taurean Prince’s minutes more towards the four position, as to maintain Antetokounmpo in particular in a more controlled role in regards to his minutes.

Prince is playing just over 26 minutes per game, so it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to get him up to, and perhaps exceeding, 32 minutes per night until Portis is back.

The offensive responsibility

Portis, who is known primarily as an offensive-minded player, is averaging 13.7 points, and 8.3 rebounds on the season. The Bucks are going to need someone currently in the rotation to shoulder a larger offensive burden moving forward, and it probably shouldn’t be Antetokounmpo or Damian Lillard, both of whom are already scoring at high clips.

Instead, having Gary Trent Jr occupy more of the offense could be a way to keep the ship steady, until Portis returns.

While Trent Jr is primarily an off-ball scorer, currently averaging 10.3 points per game, with 65.7% of his shots coming from behind the three-point line.

That might work as an advantage for the Bucks, who could stand to get up more three’s, especially with Portis out. But it would mean more creation on behalf of others to get Trent Jr going, suggesting Lillard and Antetokounmpo would have to up their playmaking.

Milwaukee’s thin rotation

Generally speaking, the Bucks won’t have the easiest time to fill out the Portis minutes. Their rotation is thin, and that’s been an issue for a few years now.

The suspension to Portis indirectly highlights a drastic need for the Bucks to have more capable bodies, in the event of players missing time.

While Milwaukee will now try to keep its head above water for the rest of the season, this situation does force a spotlight upon them in regards to how they’ve assembled their roster, and how they’re in need of making several additions over the offseason.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.