Chicago Bulls: Grading every move this season
Portis, Parker, Porter: say that 10 times fast.
(Not easy).
John Wall suffered a total freak injury earlier this week reminiscent to Carlos Boozer’s gym bag tumble in 2010. The scary part is that his four-year, $170 million contract extension hasn’t kicked in yet. Will he be the same player that he was prior to these injuries? That situation could get ugly for Washington. In any regard, the Wizards needed to move money so they, too, could avoid the luxury tax.
They would’ve been able to move Bradley Beal in a heartbeat, but he’s still in his prime. Otto Porter Jr. was floated around for a while, and ultimately, Washington opted to go that route. If they don’t pick up Jabari Parker’s option, they save $20 million. Bobby Portis (someone I’ll miss) is an RFA who turned down an extension with the Bulls last fall. Whether or not the Wizards match a possible offer sheet, he’s looking to get paid:
Definitely surprised Bulls traded Portis. But don't agree with talk of "no loyalty." They offered him a multi-year extension worth $40-50M last Fall. He said no, which is certainly Portis' right. Also, word around league is Portis is looking for $16M annually this summer in RFA.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 7, 2019
Ultimately, should they let him walk, that’s more money they save. The Bull’s second-rounder in 2023 is top-36 protected and is nothing more than icing on the cake. Chicago wasn’t going to retain Parker or (possibly) Portis this summer, which is good; go make a deal for both guys.
Without a doubt, Porter fills a need. There’s no question the former Georgetown Hoya is an upgrade over any other wing on their roster. He is a starter talent and a known quantity in this league. His presence takes a ton of pressure off of Chandler Hutchison when he returns from his toe injury.
Now this season hasn’t been entirely kind to him. Some of that could be attributed to that Wall has missed a chunk of the year, some of it could be attributed to the fact the Wizards are a bad team with a bad coach. Even still, he’s having a down year. However, this is the kind of trade could flip the switch back for him in a major way:
Bulls just traded for a player that makes them better for the first time since John Salmons and Brad Miller came together in 2009. I'm not making that up.
— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) February 7, 2019
Great move. Otto Porter helps the Bulls so, so much.
The caveat with this deal is Porter’s contract; it is a tad bloated. Next season, he is getting paid $27.3 million, which is a lot, but the fact the Bulls made this deal means that they are cool being quiet in free agency (something they should’ve done last year) this summer. The following year, it’s a $28.5 million player option.
Given that the salary cap will rise over the next few years, it may not look like they’re paying a ton for Porter.
Grade: B (or A? Maybe C+?)
I have mixed opinions on this trade. It’s good that they got a starter for a couple of years who can help win games. But that’s the thing: winning games. While it may ultimately not matter where the Bulls finish in the pre-lottery standings (due to the new lottery rules), they could still miss out at the top of the draft. All because Porter helps reverse the tank with some timely baskets like Sean Kilpatrick did last year.
Related Story. Pros and cons of Porter trade. light
The new rules make the lottery more fluid than it was in the past; having the worst record in no way guarantees the top pick. Go ahead and run 10, 50, or even 100 simulations on Tankathon.com. Keep track of what draft slot the Bulls land at and how many times it happens. You’ll consistently notice that anything goes; for better or worse.
Porter is a good player, however, and it’s hard to knock a deal if you get a good player back in a trade.