Chicago Bulls: Three fitting trades involving Otto Porter Jr.
By Ryan Heckman
Chicago Bulls forward Otto Porter is playing well enough to be used as a trade chip this season.
Before this season began for the Chicago Bulls, many fans assumed that when the trade deadline came around, they would be involved in some fashion. The Bulls are a team which isn’t going to compete for a title in 2021, but also have an interesting situation at hand.
Chicago is under new head coach Billy Donovan, and for this first season, Donovan has to find out what exactly he has in this roster. For his first season, Donovan’s goal should be to keep this team playing hard and competitive while also planning ahead in conjunction with general manager Arturas Karnisovas.
These guys must look at the current roster, taking contracts into consideration, and find out who they want to keep around long-term. They should also be looking at those whom could be dealt away via trade as early as this season.
If the Bulls can approach this deadline with a clear picture in mind when it comes to a handful of players, maybe they can assure themselves additional assets going forward.
One of those players the Bulls should try to part with around the trade deadline is forward Otto Porter Jr. He opted into the final year of his contract, unsurprisingly, and is making $28 million this season.
It’s unlikely any team will trade a large amount for Porter, but the way he’s played so far, for the most part, should allow the Bulls to try and get something in return. This season, Porter is posting an average of 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting the three ball at a 41.7 percent clip.
Porter is the type of player who could really benefit a contending team. So, if Chicago wanted to explore potential deals for Porter, one of the following scenarios makes the most sense.