Bobby Portis
Bobby Portis should have been a higher draft pick last year had not NBA teams sponged up all the first-round point guards and outside shooting wings in last year’s draft. Another GarPax coup on drafting night, Portis is poised to potentially become a star and can turn his already decent handles into point-guard level skills, while continuing to improve his production on offense and his effort rebounding the ball.
A hidden facet of Portis’ game is his ability to play the half-court press on defense; a big part of his Arkansas years (where he was blitzing pick-and-rolls and double-teaming point guards up high).
If the Bulls want to put a stop the layup lines teams ran against them last season, Hoiberg better start putting pressure on the ball carrier and play Portis in tandem with Justin Holiday. In some games toward the end of the season, the bench showed a glimpse of this defensive behavior which must be developed further next season. Portis will never be the wall defender in the paint or the fast-twitch, shot blocker boring NBA observers say he must develop as.
It’d be better to use Portis as an oversized and long small forward with opposing wings and locking in on ball carriers on defense. He still performs as good as the best high-motor, rebounding NBA forwards to play the post and when he grows more beef into his 20-year old frame, he may evolve even more.
The Bulls front office have a keeper with Portis.
Next: Doug McDermott