Bucks reserve forward Taurean Prince has a herniated disc in his neck and is expected to miss a significant period of time, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
The team released an update via social media (Twitter link), which indicated that Prince underwent an MRI last week that revealed the herniated disk. Prince will be sidelined indefinitely as the team’s medical staff and external specialists determine the best treatment plan.
Prince has appeared in eight games this season but missed the last two games after going 0-for-5 from the field against Toronto in 21 minutes of action on Tuesday. He’s averaging 6.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 21.1 minutes per game.
Prince was a starter most of last season with Milwaukee, appearing in 80 games, including 73 starts. He averaged 8.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27.1 minutes per contest. Milwaukee re-signed him on a two-year, veteran’s minimum contract this summer.
Prince’s ability to guard multiple positions on defense and knock down three-pointers on offense makes him a valuable rotation player on the wing. He knocked down a career-high 43.9% of his attempts from beyond the arc in 2024/25.
Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers has used smaller starting lineups this season with A.J. Green and Gary Trent Jr. manning the wings. The loss of Prince could result in bigger minutes for Kyle Kuzma and Amir Coffey.
Prince, 31, began his NBA career in 2016 with stints in Atlanta, Brooklyn, Cleveland, Minnesota and the Los Angeles Lakers.