Chicago Bulls offseason replacements for Lauri Markkanen: Bobby Portis
Could a familiar face in Bobby Portis be the perfect replacement for Lauri Markkanen? He just might be, and it is all about the significant improvements he has made to his game since leaving the Bulls.
Those same improvements could be the reason he can’t return to the Bulls, though, as he might be playing himself right out of their price range in terms of what they can spend on the frontcourt with their other areas of need.
The improvements are in the form of his newfound success as a floor stretcher, exactly what Markkanen’s greatest strength is at this point. Portis was never a bad shooter and that is proven by his 35 percent three-point shooting as a member of the organization.
That came over four seasons on an average of two attempts per game. Not bad at all. Also, nothing near the performance he is putting on this season for the Milwaukee Bucks. With the Bucks, he is shooting 2.4 three-pointers per game and connecting on an absurd 47.9 percent of those.
Portis brings the attitude and swagger that helps make up for some of what he lacks on defense. He could fit with the Bulls core as either a starter next to Vooch or a sixth man coming off the bench getting minutes with either one of Vooch or Thaddeus Young on any given night.