CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 12: Bobby Portis #5 of the Chicago Bulls fights for position against Ryan Anderson #33 of the New Orleans Pelicans on October 12, 2015 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 12: Bobby Portis #5 of the Chicago Bulls fights for position against Ryan Anderson #33 of the New Orleans Pelicans on October 12, 2015 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

 

Bobby Portis was not on the Bulls scouting list last June for rookie workouts. In fact, the Bulls never scheduled a meeting with him prior to the 2015 NBA draft. Portis, a highly sought-after talent, was expected to be a lottery pick at the very least. The 6’11 forward just happened to fall into the Bulls lap, and they just could not turn their heads away despite having an overloaded front-court.

“He is making it hard. I’ve said since day one that my biggest job is going to be to figure out a rotation and try to get everybody to buy into roles. It’s going to be tough. A lot of guys deserve to play. Obviously, we know what Niko (Mirotic) and Pau (Gasol) can do too.” – Fred Hoiberg on Bobby Portis

It’s clear that Bobby Portis’ strong summer league performance was no fluke. After averaging a strong double-double for the Bulls this summer, Portis went into training camp with his head held high. Fred Hoiberg has said from the beginning that rotation minutes will be earned based off performance, not experience. For the first time in five years, a Bulls rookie has a shot at making the rotation barring any injuries.

“He’ll try to run through a wall and break into the rotation if he’s not in it initially. Anybody that plays that hard every possession, good things generally happen. And that’s exactly what Bobby has done.” – Fred Hoiberg on Bobby Portis 

Bobby Portis clearly is a fierce competitor filled with intensity, some may compare him to Kevin Garnett’s energy. However, it’s clear he’s not afraid of competition. His energy isn’t what’s making Hoiberg’s job a lot harder, it’s his efficiency. Portis is second in PER at 20.2, right behind Mirotic’s 20.9 this preseason.

Bobby Portis is averaging 12.2 points per game with 10.4 rebounds per game in just 24.8 minutes per game this preseason. With the return of Taj Gibson, Fred Hoiberg is already having a difficult time managing the rotation in preseason. Between Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Nikola Mirotic, Taj Gibson, and Bobby Portis, Hoiberg will be playing Tetris with the front-court rotation minutes.

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