The lingering tension between Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis continues to loom over the Bulls, with the team finding it harder than ever to support both players. As K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune details, Mirotic remains upset about the situation, particularly since he’s still recovering from the injuries he sustained when he was punched by Portis, who has returned to the court following his eight-game suspension. Mirotic’s camp has made it clear to the Bulls that he doesn’t feel like he and Portis can coexist going forward, Johnson notes.
Portis seems more willing to bury the hatchet, suggesting on Tuesday that he wants to “let bygones be bygones.” Although Portis is aware of the reported ultimatum from Mirotic’s camp, he recognizes that the team’s decision on whether to trade one player or the other is out of his control, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times details.
“I want to rekindle our relationship, try as best as possible, but I don’t control that right now,” Portis said. “I’m here to play basketball.”
In a separate report, Cowley suggests that the Bulls’ locker room seems to favor Portis over Mirotic, citing two players on the team who say that the ultimatum from Mirotic’s side is carrying “zero weight.” Reports out of Chicago since the incident last month have indicated that members of the Bulls believe Mirotic is partially to blame for the altercation with Portis, and it sounds as if at least a couple of his teammates believe Mirotic needs to move past it. “This is Niko’s problem now,” one Bull told Cowley.
As we wait to see how the Bulls handle the situation, let’s round up a few more notes out of Chicago…
- Jimmy Butler admitted to Sam Alipour of ESPN The Magazine that he felt like the Bulls would eventually move on from either him or Fred Hoiberg, and wasn’t surprised by their decision. “I said from the beginning it was either gonna be me or the Fred Hoiberg route,” Butler said. “And rightfully so, they took Fred. Good for them.”
- While he’s happy with how things turned out, Butler is also looking forward to his first game against the Bulls, as he tells Alipour: “I got that game marked on my calendar. February 9, baby — I’m back. Oh, man, they better hope I go 0-for-30, ’cause every basket I score, I’m looking over at the bench and I got something to say.”
- Barring any setbacks, Bulls guard Zach LaVine is on track to begin taking contact in about two weeks, Cowley writes for The Sun-Times. LaVine, who continues to recover from last year’s ACL injury, hopes to return to action within the next month or two.
ive always been a supporter of bug eye bobby since we drafted him. i dont think he has been put in good positions his first two years. first game back yesterday tho, he put up 21 so im
still a supporter lol
Portis is one of the Bulls highest energy players. He comes in, works his tail off, and gives it everything he has…Mirotic, does not have that same respect within that locker room. It’s been said a couple times that he acts like a premadonna..that he expects certain things given to him without fully earning them…
Personally, idk, but it definitely speaks volumes that the locker room and fellow teammates has Portis’ back on this situation…
Also, Portis came out balling in his first game back..Tough call to make for the Bulls, especially on a guy that they literally just resigned only about a month and a half ago…
I think Mirotic probably warranted the punch based on what I’ve heard. The injuries, no. I wouldn’t wish injury on anyone, but I have to side with Portis on this one. Also, of course Portis wants to bury the hatchet and Mirotic doesn’t. I’d be pretty mad if I got punched by a teammate and couldn’t return to playing before he did.
Well Mirotic should have thought about that before he came at Portis 2x’s. The Bulls should and probably will trade Mitotic. He’s soft and inconsistent, doesn’t play defense or rebound. He’s more trouble than he’s worth at this point.
This standoff problem could have been averted with some clever punishment management by the Bulls.