5. Otto Porter Jr., Small Forward
The former Wizard Porter Jr. was a really nice addition by GarPax and the Chicago Bulls last season. When the Bulls made the move to send the young forward combination that was Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis to the Wizards for a return of Porter Jr., the fan base was instantly excited. And that was for good reason.
It is just ironic that the Bulls were almost single-handedly beaten by Portis with the Knicks earlier this season. Portis was never going to be a reasonable signing for the Bulls if they were to attempt to re-sign him once his rookie contract ran up. Instead the Bulls were able to snag yet another former Arkansas big man with first round talent in the NBA Draft, with Gafford at No. 38 overall.
Moreover, when Porter Jr. is on, he is clearly one of the most important pieces to this Bulls starting five. He makes the offense go and helps to space the floor for everyone around him. But he’s got a sub-14.0 player efficiency rating entering the seventh game of the regular season and is averaging just 11.0 points per game. He’s not off to the ideal start thus far.
If Porter Jr. is able to improve his production anytime soon, the $26 million price tag he comes with would we welcome with at least a dozen other NBA teams. The way he finished out the 2018-19 regular season with the Bulls provided clarity as to the best way to utilize him on the wing. He helps to fill defensive gaps left by his teammates and has a well-rounded offensive skill set as a nice complement.