Chicago Bulls: Free agent superstar needed?

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ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 1: Otto Porter Jr. #22 of the Chicago Bulls puts up the shot against the Atlanta Hawks on March 1, 2019 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Wild Card: Otto Porter Jr.

Is it a little premature to call Otto Porter Jr. an all-star-caliber player a mere seven games into his Bulls career? Maybe, but it’s not so crazy if you think about it. Porter has always flashed some serious potential, & clearly the league has seen this in that he was drafted third overall back in 2013 & also was given his massive contract. Is he worth his $26, $27, and $28 million that he is due until the summer of 2021?

Absolutely not. However, I do believe that Porter has the potential to be in all-star talks.

Porter is the prototypical “3 & D” player in the modern NBA. He has a nice outside stroke, can play off the ball, and has phenomenal size at the small forward slot which enables him to play & guard multiple positions well.

It is no coincidence that the Bulls have started to play so well of late upon his arrival to the Windy City. Averaging 18.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, & 2.7 assists in 31 minutes of action per game, Porter’s presence on both sides of the ball have looked like a totally different ball club.

In addition, Porter is still relatively young, at 25 years old. He finally has the opportunity to get out of the toxic locker room in D.C. & take on somewhat of a mentorship role with these young guns. Maybe a change of scenery is all Otto needed to get back on track, as is the case for many NBA players.