Bucks fire Porter after 30-52 season.

Byline: Charles F. Gardner

ST. FRANCIS, Wis. _ Terry Porter thought he was in trouble in mid-April, with his team struggling, the season winding down and no real signs of support from Milwaukee Bucks general manager Larry Harris or team owner Herb Kohl.

It turns out Porter was right.

Despite later being assured he would finish out the third and final year on his guaranteed contract with the Bucks, Porter found out differently in a meeting with Harris at the Cousins Center on Wednesday afternoon. Porter was fired, less than a week before the Bucks are to select the top overall pick in the National Basketball Association draft.

Harris, who had said "we're going to sink or swim together on this" at a May 6 news conference to announce Porter would return, made an abrupt U-turn as he looked into the Bucks' future.

At a hastily called news conference on Wednesday, Harris indicated he wanted a more experienced coach who could guide the Bucks to the playoffs next season and mold a team that is expected to grab either Andrew Bogut or …