Former Chicago Bulls: Magic pass on buying out Otto Porter Jr.

The deadline for the buyout market this year was set for April 9, which meant that teams had to have their roster additions set heading into the weekend for any big names that hit the open market. While first-year Chicago Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley didn’t make any moves on the buyout market this year, there was a significant former player for this team that was firmly in the midst of the news cycle on April 9.

Former Bulls veteran small forward Otto Porter Jr. was anticipated to hit the buyout market this year given that he’s in the final year of his large current contract (which pays him just south of $30 million). But OPJ wound up sticking with his new team, the Orlando Magic, through the end of the buyout deadline on April 9.

According to a report on the Twitter timeline of Marc Stein on April 9, the Magic “had no buyout discussions) with OPJ this year. And reportedly neither did the Bulls.

Moreover, what got OPJ to Orlando in the first place was a trade deal with the Bulls that nabbed them two-time All-Star center Nikola Vucevic and forward Al-Farouq Aminu. In that trade, the Bulls also shipped off third-year center Wendell Carter Jr. and two first round draft picks to the Magic.

Magic pass on buying out former Chicago Bulls SF Otto Porter Jr.

While the Magic do not look to be in playoff contention this year, especially after dealing out forward Aaron Gordon and Vooch at the trade deadline, they did decide to keep OPJ in the fold. The only player that the Magic did buy out this year is third-year center Khem Birch, who wound up landing with the Toronto Raptors and head coach Nick Nurse.

OPJ has already found himself having injury issues with the Magic. He’s only played in three games since getting dealt to the Magic back on March 25. In those three games played in Orlando, he’s averaged 8.0 points per game, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and no blocks. And he’s shot 36.0 percent from the field, 11.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 100 percent from the free-throw line.

Through the three years that OPJ played for the Bulls, he only got to see game action 54 times. He was often injured in his time in the Windy City after getting dealt to the Bulls from the Washington Wizards two years ago.

It seems very likely that OPJ will find another home not with the Bulls or Magic come next offseason. OPJ is set to become an unrestricted free agent come next summer, but there should still be a decent market for a three-and-D wing like him.

Following their tough loss to the Atlanta Hawks on the road on April 9, first-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Bulls sport a record of 22-29. Next up for the Bulls is a meeting with the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road on April 11.