Taurean

Prince

Prince spoke to reporters on Thursday for the first time since surgery. He admitted that “the only way to hoop again was to get the surgery.” He said he is “100 percent” certain that he’s going to play again, but there is no timeline for his return. At this point, Prince is just thankful that he’s “still here to speak and be able to have an opportunity to hoop again.”

Prince underwent the procedure on Thursday in Los Angeles, and the Bucks announced that updates on his recovery will be provided when deemed necessary. While Prince was shooting nearly 43 percent from three on 3.5 attempts per game at the time of his injury, his minutes had decreased from 27.1 in 2024-25 to 21.1 this season. Kyle Kuzma, who has started Milwaukee’s last two games, has a higher ceiling with Prince unavailable but likely needs to remain a starter to be worth the risk in standard leagues.

Prince’s extended absence is a big blow to Milwaukee’s offense, as the sharpshooting forward is knocking down 42.9% of his shots from beyond the arc this season. In his absence, expect Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis to see increased run.

Not only will Prince miss Friday’s game, but he could be out longer. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said during his availability that the veteran forward will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of his strained neck and a potential injury timeline. Look for Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis to pick up additional minutes in Prince’s absence.

Prince has played a consistent reserve role for Milwaukee this season, but if he is unavailable against Chicago, both Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma will take on extra minutes as the reserves in the frontcourt.

Giannis was initially probable for Thursday’s game, so his being downgraded to out is surprising. Kyle Kuzma, Taurean Prince or Bobby Portis is the most likely replacement in the starting lineup, with the former being the player who deep-league managers should target for streaming purposes.

Kuz will return to the court following a one-game absence, which means Bobby Portis and Taurean Prince should see reduced roles against New York.

Kuzma missed Sunday’s game after an early exit from Friday’s win over the Raptors. If he remains out, Bobby Portis and Taurean Prince will take on larger reserve roles. Prince played 31 minutes to Portis’ 23 on Sunday.

A few hours after his status was downgraded to doubtful, Kuzma is officially out for Sunday’s game. More will be required of fellow reserves, most notably Bobby Portis and Taurean Prince, with the former being the superior option in fantasy leagues.

Initially questionable for Sunday’s game with a sprained left ankle, Kuzma’s status has been downgraded. His likely absence should result in more minutes for fellow reserves Bobby Portis and Taurean Prince. While Portis is the superior option for fantasy managers, Prince can be helpful for those needing three-pointers and steals.