Bulls forward Bobby Portis will become eligible for a contract extension for the first time on July 1, and the team will discuss the possibility of locking up Portis to a long-term deal, a front office source tells Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago.
Portis, 23, has enjoyed a breakout year in his third NBA season, averaging 13.2 PPG and 6.5 RPG in just 21.5 minutes per contest. He has enjoyed that success despite opening the season by serving an eight-game suspension for punching then-teammate Nikola Mirotic during a practice.
At that point, it seemed possible that Portis wouldn’t even finish the season in Chicago — Mirotic’s camp reportedly issued a “him or me” ultimatum in the wake of the altercation. However, the Bulls like Portis and chose to view the incident as a one-time transgression rather than as a possible harbinger of future problems. The team has given Portis a chance to play a key rotation role, ultimately trading Mirotic to New Orleans.
As Goodwill details, the Bulls don’t often give out rookie scale contract extensions to players a year before they reach restricted free agency. Derrick Rose is the only Bull in recent memory to sign such a deal. However, Goodwill also observes that the club is expected to shop Robin Lopez this offseason, and Cristiano Felicio hasn’t developed as hoped, so securing Portis to an extension could add a little more long-term certainty to a frontcourt that also features rookie Lauri Markkanen.
Waiting until 2019’s free agent period to work out a deal with Portis could also result in his cost increasing, so the 2018 offseason may represent the Bulls’ best chance to get a team-friendly price for the big man. According to Goodwill, over 20 teams reached out to Chicago following the Mirotic incident to ask about Portis, so the Bulls know the young forward has plenty of leaguewide value.
While discussing an extension for Portis will be one of the items on the Bulls’ to-do list this offseason, new contracts for RFAs-to-be Zach LaVine and David Nwaba figure to take priority, Goodwill notes.
Since they chose him in the Niko feud, they pretty much have to extend him. I guess they could still choose “none of the above,” but once it felt like they made a clear choice once they made the Pelicans trade.
Does Mirotic actually think he’s better than what he is?
Portia has turned into a BEAST. They have to keep him. He could easily be the 6th man of the year contender, going forward. He’s extremely young, as well.
Portis***
Normal person would be in jail for what Portis did, and instead he’s going to get double digit millions per season.
True, but thats more of a poor reflection of the American penal system than of Portis. Plus if no one wants to call the police and press charges then it doesn’t even really matter what your wealth and status is. From what I’ve seen from him on the court, sure he very well could be a hot head (maybe intense is the better word) but I can’t really judge a man I’ve only seen on a screen based off of one altercation. Everyone has their moments.