Bucks' Kevin Porter Jr. to Undergo Procedure After Suffering Knee Injury, Out 4 Weeks

Kevin Porter Jr.'s return to the Milwaukee Bucks' lineup will be delayed.

Milwaukee announced Friday that the guard suffered a right knee meniscus injury Thursday "during his on-court return-to-play training." As a result, he will undergo "a minor orthopedic procedure that will sideline him for approximately four weeks."

Porter played nine minutes in the season-opening win over the Washington Wizards but suffered a sprained ankle when he appeared to trip over teammate Bobby Portis. He exited in the first quarter and never returned.

That he was participating in "on-court return-to-play training" suggests he might not have been that far away from being back on the court prior to his latest setback.

It is a difficult blow for the Bucks considering the USC product figured to be an important part of the backcourt this season with Damian Lillard no longer on the roster. They signed him to a two-year, $11 million deal this offseason after acquiring him from the Los Angeles Clippers via trade last season.

Porter averaged 10.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from deep last season. He posted a career-best 19.3 points per game in 2022-23 for the Houston Rockets.

His ability to handle the ball, shoot from the outside and attack off the bounce makes him a valuable piece of the backcourt and someone who can play in the space created by all the defensive attention Giannis Antetokounmpo attracts on a nightly basis.

But the Bucks will have to wait to see that this season after the latest setback.

Despite Porter's injury, Milwaukee is off to a 4-1 start this season and will look to continue building momentum Saturday with a home game against the Sacramento Kings.