Chicago Bulls: Bobby Portis Deserves More Playing Time

Chicago Bulls rookie forward Bobby Portis has not seen meaningful action for most of the season. However, after his recent outing, that trend could change in the immediate future.

When the Chicago Bulls selected Bobby Portis with the No. 22 pick in the 2015 NBA draft, the consensus was that his playing time would be limited at best due to the fact that the frontcourt already featured Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson and Nikola Mirotic. And with four talented players ahead of him in the rotation, Portis was not about to make any waves with regards to the limited opportunities he has seen so far.

In fact, Portis decided to be content with soaking up as much as he could from his teammates, while supporting them in any way possible, as Chicago Tribune’s Chris Kuc explains:

"“It’s not about playing right now for me,” Portis said. “I understand my role and the situation that I’m in. There are four guys ahead of me right now. I know most people want me to get out there but for me it’s about taking it day by day and trying to be the best teammate possible.”"

In his first four appearances of the season, Portis scored a combined total of 21 points while playing just 26 minutes. This includes a recent four-minute stint during the Bulls’ 115-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec. 16.

But following a quadruple overtime loss to the Detroit Pistons, Gasol was held out of the lineup in the following game against the New York Knicks. And with the stage set for him to get his first taste of significant playing time, Portis did not disappoint.

Although the Bulls dropped their second straight game in as many nights, Portis was one of the few bright spots for a team that was a step behind for most of the evening. In that contest, Portis scored 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting, to go along with 11 rebounds and two steals.

And just for good measure, the rookie forward connected on two of his three attempts from beyond the arc, showing that his 42 percent conversion rate from distance during the Summer League was not a fluke. When asked if there was anything else he could do to prove that he is ready for meaningful playing time on a consistent basis, here is what Portis told ESPN:

"“That’s a great question. It’s a question I ask myself every day. I kind of be at war with myself sometimes while I’m not playing. But the only solution I have is to keep working hard and to keep being the guy that I am every day. Coming in and busting my butt every day, just trying to get better. As a basketball player you have one job and that’s to get better every day. So that’s something I try to do every day and I just try to run with it.”"

Next: Chicago Bulls: Will Joakim Noah Be Traded?

While one game cannot determine how a player will perform over the course of an entire season, based on his recent outing, it is obvious that Portis brings a variety of intangibles to the mix.

And with Mirotic struggling as of late, scoring just 10 points in his last three games — along with Doug McDermott battling recent knee soreness — this would be an ideal time to give Portis the opportunity to crack the rotation.