Bobby Portis Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Mirotic, Jordan, Parker

December 10th, 2017 at 8:16pm CST by Austin Kent

Not only does the return of Nikola Mirotic give the struggling Bulls an extra offensive weapon, he provides a calm confidence that the young team can benefit from. Nick Friedell of ESPN writes that Mirotic has set the bar high upon his return, taking particular pleasure in the fact that the 5-20 team is 2-0 since he returned to the court.

Friedell adds that Mirotic has been playing particularly well alongside frontcourt teammate Bobby Portis. Together the pair who’s training camp skirmish made national headlines is rocking a 115.6 offensive rating with a 103.8 defensive rating. The pairing alone has yielded 59 of the Bulls’ 223 points over the last two games and they’ve only been on the floor together for 24 minutes.

The Bulls may be in the midst of a rebuild, not particularly committed to any specific player, but Mirotic has shown plenty of potential when asked to take on a large offensive role. From March 22 on last season, Mirotic averaged 17.0 points and 7.2 rebounds in just under 30 minutes per game.

There’s more from the Central Division:

The fact that DeAndre Jordan hired an agent with a close connection to Jason Kidd could give the Bucks an advantage in any trade negotiations with the Clippers, Ken Berger of Bleacher Report writes. Agent Jeff Schwartz represented Kidd for much of his playing career.
A big three on Saturday night could help Jae Crowder bust out of his shooting slump, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. The Cavaliers forward has struggled from long-range, particularly in the fourth quarter, and has ceded some minutes to reserve Jeff Green. “Y’all know I’ve been struggling. It feels good to finally see one go down, especially late in the game,” Crowder said. “I’ve made quite a few of those in my career, but I haven’t made them like I wanted to here. I just want to build off this win.”
If Jabari Parker‘s future with the Bucks is uncertain given his health, contract status and the emergence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, one team that could be in play to acquire him is the Jazz. Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News details Parker’s connection to the The Church of Latterday Saints which has famously strong roots in Utah. Parker, it’s worth noting, had BYU in his top five potential colleges coming out of high school.

Bulls Notes: Payne, McDermott, Mirotic, Hoiberg

December 9th, 2017 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Doug McDermott‘s return to Chicago tonight as a member of the Knicks gave Bulls fans an unpleasant reminder of the Cameron Payne trade, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Payne appeared in just 11 games after being acquired from the Thunder in that five-player deal and hasn’t played at all this season as he recovers from offseason foot surgery.

Coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters tonight that an X-ray on Payne last week showed improvement, but he still isn’t able to run or cut and probably can’t play full-court games for at least six weeks. Cowley suggests it will take Payne at least a couple of weeks to get in shape after that, which pushes his return date back to sometime in mid-February.

“He came at a very difficult time last year with a veteran team, and just had his struggles,” Hoiberg said. “At the same time we’re competing for a playoff spot and it’s a tough time to come in and make an impact. For Cam, the big thing is to stay positive through this stretch, and to get him back and have some positive moments for us when we’re going down the stretch.’’

There’s more tonight from Chicago:

McDermott was surprised by the trade that sent him to Oklahoma City at last season’s deadline, tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. He was in the middle of his most productive season, averaging 10.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, when the deal occurred. “It was hard leaving because of all the people I liked here,” he said. “But I wish them the best. It was a great organization to play for.”
Now that Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis have put aside hard feelings over their preseason altercation, they should expect to remain teammates for the rest the season, Johnson writes in a mailbag column. The Bulls found a “non-existent” trade market for both players after Mirotic threatened not to return to the team unless Portis was dealt. The Bulls also found no interest in Mirotic when they shopped him prior to last year’s deadline, and no other organization offered him a significant deal as a restricted free agent this summer.
Rumors about Hoiberg’s firing have persisted almost from the time he became the Bulls’ head coach, but he is safe for this season, Johnson adds in the same piece. The front office likes how he has handled a collection of young talent, and he has done better with assigning roles and holding players accountable for their performance. Hoiberg has two more seasons left on his contract.

Mirotic Accepts Portis’ Apology, Ready To Move Forward

November 29th, 2017 at 2:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Bulls power forward Nikola Mirotic confirmed to reporters today that he has accepted Bobby Portis‘ apology for the punch Portis threw last month. However, Mirotic’s follow-up suggested that the relationship still isn’t overly friendly. Asked if he had told Portis he’d accepted his apology, Mirotic responded, “I guess he will know now,” per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Mirotic’s comments to reporters today represented the first time he has spoken to the media since last month’s altercation. The 26-year-old, who continues to recover from facial injuries suffered as a result of Portis’ punch, declined to discuss the specifics of that incident, telling the media that he wants to focus on the future, writes Madeline Kennedy of The Chicago Sun-Times. That includes working alongside Portis.

“If I’m here, it’s because I want to support the team. He’s a part of the team. I’m going to support him too.” Mirotic said of Portis, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. “Bobby and me and all the team is doing what we’re supposed to do, being professional. I think so far we’re doing good. We’re in a good way.”

While Mirotic is saying the right things and sounds ready to “be professional” with Portis, I expect he would still be willing to waive his no-trade clause when he becomes eligible to be dealt on January 15. There’s no indication yet that the Bulls are considering a move, but Mirotic’s camp reportedly issued an ultimatum last month, expressing a desire for him to be dealt if Portis remains on the roster. Asked today about that request, Mirotic sidestepped the subject, as Cowley details.

“I just know that right now the only goal – [the] Bulls’ goal and my goal – is to make me get back with the team and practice together and get my strength back and as soon as I can, play with the team,” Mirotic said when he was asked about the reported ultimatum. When a reporter asked if he wants to be traded, Mirotic replied, “I’m really excited to be back. That’s all I can tell. That’s something my agent can tell you.”

Although the situation may not be entirely resolved, Mirotic’s stance is good news for the Bulls — as long as the 6’10” forward isn’t demanding a trade out of Chicago, the Bulls will retain some leverage should they decide to explore a deal.

As for Mirotic’s potential 2017/18 debut, head coach Fred Hoiberg indicated today that it’s not clear yet whether the big man will be back next week, but said the team is hoping he’ll be ready to go after participating in a few more practices (link via Nick Friedell of ESPN).

Central Notes: Bradley, Mirotic, Giannis, Kennard

November 27th, 2017 at 8:19pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons acquired shooting guard Avery Bradley from the Celtics over the summer with the hope of signing him to a long-term agreement and that hasn’t changed, coach Stan Van Gundy told the Detroit News’ Rod Beard and other media members. Bradley, who is making $8.8MM this season, becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer and Van Gundy is optimistic the Pistons can lock him up. “I’ll take our chances in the offseason,” Van Gundy said during a press conference.

However, there will be no in-season negotiations, Van Gundy added. “He knew right from the time we got him that we made the move thinking it would be a long-term thing but he knows it’s not something we’re going to talk to him at all about during the season,” Van Gundy said (Twitter links). The Celtics dealt Bradley to free up salary-cap room for free agent forward Gordon Hayward. Bradley is the Pistons’ second-leading scorer at 16.8 PPG.

In other developments around the Central Division:

Bulls power forward Nikola Mirotic participated in practice on Monday and will travel with the team to Denver later this week, Vincent Goodwill of NBCSports.com in Chicago reports. Mirotic practiced with teammates for the first time since Bobby Portis punched him last month, resulting in facial injuries and a concussion. Coach Fred Hoiberg is hopeful Mirotic and Portis can coexist, as he told Goodwill and other media members, even though little to no progress has been made regarding their feud. “It is important to get those guys communicating, which I think we’re all confident will happen,” Hoiberg said. “The important thing is getting Niko back on the floor and with the team.”
Bucks All-Star point forward Giannis Antetokounmpo admits that he and assistant coach Sean Sweeney often have verbal altercations but it’s a product of a “tight” relationship, as he explained to Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Antetokounmpo was seen yelling at Sweeney during the Bucks’ game against the Jazz on Saturday. Outsiders shouldn’t read anything into it. “We’re OK, that’s what we do — we fight, we argue, but at the end of the day, we both want to win,” Antetokounmpo told Velazquez. “I don’t think there’s anybody from this team who wants to win more than Sweeney and me and coach (Jason) Kidd, of course.”
Pistons rookie swingman Luke Kennard will need to show steady growth defensively to keep his rotation spot, Beard writes in a separate piece. Kennard was considered arguably the best pure shooter in the June draft but his shooting alone won’t guarantee him a spot on the second unit, Van Gundy told Beard and other media members. “He can’t get comfortable and think that he’s got secured minutes,” Van Gundy said. “We’ve flipped that spot over before — and we will again if he’s not going to do what he has to do.”

Feud Between Mirotic, Portis Still Simmering

November 26th, 2017 at 3:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

With Nikola Mirotic getting closer to his return to the court, there has been no progress toward resolving his feud with Bobby Portis, reports Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

A preseason altercation between the Bulls teammates left Mirotic hospitalized with two broken facial bones. His recovery has gone well and he was able to increase his activity this week at the team facility.

“Niko had a really good week of workouts,’’ coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He’s continuing to ramp up his activity. He had good strength workouts and he’s increasing his workload on the floor, so we’re hoping to get him back with the team shortly.’’

Still, Hoiberg isn’t sure when the fourth-year forward might be cleared to start practicing again.

Complicating that process is Mirotic’s resentment toward Portis. His representatives reportedly told the team earlier this month that Portis had to be traded before he would return to the team. If that doesn’t happen, Mirotic would be willing to waive his no-trade clause so that he can be dealt when he becomes eligible in mid-January.

Mirotic’s camp hasn’t pressed that demand since first making it, but it remains in place, according to Cowley.

The Bulls, who don’t see a strong trade market for either player, continue to hope that a truce can be worked out. VP of basketball operations John Paxson has stressed that the priority is what’s best for the organization, and the preference from the front office is that Portis and Mirotic find a way to get through the season so any trade can take place next summer.

Central Notes: Portis, Thomas, Oladipo, Leuer

November 24th, 2017 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

While opposing fans won’t let him forget about last month’s altercation with Nikola Mirotic, Bobby Portis has put that fight behind him and has expressed optimism about the Bulls‘ roster and the team’s future, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

“I feel like we can be a good team in the future with all the pieces that we have and everybody starting to come together,” Portis said. Later, addressing the Bulls’ end-of-game lineup, Portis pointed out that having him play alongside Lauri Markkanen gives the club the sort of frontcourt size that many teams don’t have in their closing lineups. “I feel like that’s definitely something we can use in the future,” Portis added.

As Cowley observes, the fact that Portis is talking so much about the Bulls’ future suggests that he doesn’t expect to be traded anytime soon, despite a reported ultimatum from Mirotic’s camp.

Here’s more from around the Central:

Cavaliers point guard Isaiah Thomas still doesn’t have a specific return date set, but he has taken another important step forward in his recovery from a right hip injury, says Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Thomas, who is aiming to return around the end of 2017, is now going through contact drills, according to Fedor.
Victor Oladipo is enjoying a career year so far on the court for the Pacers, but his behind-the-scenes leadership has also been an important part of the team’s early success, writes Clifton Brown of The Indianapolis Star. Acquired in the summer’s Paul George trade, Oladipo figures to be a fixture in Indiana for years to come — he and rookie T.J. Leaf are the only two Pacers under contract through 2020/21.
The Pistons will play on Friday night for the first time since Monday, and the three-day break likely benefited a few banged-up players, including Jon Leuer, Andre Drummond, and Avery Bradley. However, as Rod Beard of The Detroit News relays, Stan Van Gundy says Leuer is “just not progressing the way he had hoped” as he battles an ankle injury.

Eastern Notes: Hawks, Mirotic, Portis, Hornets

November 14th, 2017 at 12:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks have been hit by the injury bug in the first month of the season, but the team doesn’t have any plans to apply for an injury hardship exception to gain an extra roster spot, according to Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). A hardship exception can be granted by the NBA when a team has four players who have missed at least three games, but Travis Schlenk suggests it shouldn’t be necessary for his team.

“All of our guys should be back soon, hopefully,” the Hawks’ general manager said, per Cunningham.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic was back at practice today and has interacted with several of his teammates. However, he still hasn’t spoken to Bobby Portis, Nick Friedell of ESPN relays. According to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune (Twitter link), Bulls executive VP John Paxson and head coach Fred Hoiberg have both made it clear that they’re trying to get Mirotic to talk to Portis, the teammate who punched him during a practice last month.
The Hornets are the latest NBA franchise to team up with a sponsor for an advertisement patch on their jerseys, reaching a deal with local company LendingTree, per Katherine Peralta and Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. LendingTree, a Charlotte-based online company that matches borrowers with lenders, agreed to a three-year jersey sponsorship deal with the Hornets, as the team officially confirmed on Monday.
It has been more than three decades since the Pacers last hosted the All-Star Game, but commissioner Adam Silver recently confirmed that Indiana is in the running to host the NBA’s All-Star weekend in 2021, as Jim Ayello of The Indianapolis Star writes. The Pacers’ division rivals in Chicago are hosting 2020’s All-Star Game.

Nikola Mirotic Returns To Bulls’ Facility

November 13th, 2017 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

Injured forward Nikola Mirotic returned to the Bulls’ facility and made an appearance at the team’s morning practice on Monday, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). It’s the first time Mirotic has attended a practice since he was hospitalized by a Bobby Portis punch last month.

Although Mirotic is back in the building, it doesn’t sound like all is well quite yet for the Bulls. According to executive VP John Paxson, Mirotic still hasn’t had any contact with Portis since last month’s altercation (Twitter link via Johnson).

Portis, who described himself today as a “high-character, low-maintenance guy,” says he’s ready to welcome Mirotic back with open arms, per Johnson (Twitter link). However, it’s not hard to see why Mirotic – who suffered a concussion and facial fractures as a result of Portis’ punch – wouldn’t be ready to bury the hatchet.

For their part, the Bulls don’t sound like they’re willing to make a choice between Portis and Mirotic, despite the ultimatum reportedly issued by Mirotic’s camp. Paxson said today that the team can’t make a trade just to make a trade, adding that it’s important for Mirotic to be around more and to be a part of the team (Twitter links via Johnson).

“Both Niko and Bobby are on our roster right now,” Paxson said (Twitter link). “And Niko’s getting cleared to do more and more. This obviously is coming to a position where it’s going to have to be resolved between the two.”

The Bulls are somewhat hamstrung by Mirotic’s trade restrictions, which prevent him from being dealt until January 15, so they’re in a tough spot. Still, pushing Mirotic to make amends with the teammate responsible for his multiple facial fractures isn’t necessarily the best look for the club.

Central Notes: Bledsoe, Drummond, Parker

November 10th, 2017 at 6:28pm CST by Austin Kent

Expect Eric Bledsoe to start in his Bucks debut tonight, Matt Velasquez of The Journal Sentinel writes. Milwaukee will clash with the Spurs in San Antonio and Bledsoe will see his first taste of in-game action since October 21.

“For his first day of shootaround, you could see the dynamic of his speed, something that we don’t have at that position,” Bucks head coach Jason Kidd said. “We’ll find out here quickly [how he fits with the team].”

The 27-year-old guard has averaged 13.1 points and 4.6 assists per game over the course of his eight-year NBA career, his best two seasons coming with Phoenix last year and the year prior.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

The Pistons know that Andre Drummond needs to keep his head in the game in order to be most effective. As Ansar Khan of MLive writes, the big man is well aware of that fact himself. “When I play with high energy and confidence it gives everybody else confidence and you can see it in everybody’s face when they’re playing,” Drummond said. “In previous years, I played down and it looked like it could bother me and everybody kind of moved around in slow motion.”
If the Bulls are to choose one of Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune believes it would be the former. Portis, he writes, is well liked by his teammates. He’s also on a cheaper contract and would handle coming off the bench behind rookie Lauri Markkanen better.
This isn’t Bucks forward Jabari Parker‘s first time recovering from an ACL injury. This time around, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes, he does so well aware of what the process entails – and in a nicer facility, to boot.

Bulls Notes: Mirotic, Portis, Butler, LaVine

November 8th, 2017 at 1:17pm CST by Luke Adams

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.