Chicago Bulls: 3 reasons trading for Otto Porter Jr. makes sense

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 31: Otto Porter Jr. #22 of the Washington Wizards shoots the ball against the Chicago Bulls on December 31, 2017 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3 of 4

Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images /

2. The Bulls need what Porter can provide

Porter can provide exactly what the Bulls wanted Denzel Valentine to be (but unfortunately, even when healthy, isn’t): an elite 3-and-D specialist. Including this season, Porter has averaged 1.4 steals per game for nearly four seasons.

While this funky season in Washington has seen Porter take a hit in his 3s made (1.4 per game), he showed in the last two complete seasons that while playing in a relatively healthy basketball environment, he can thrive from the arc, averaging 1.9 and 1.8 3s per game in those respective seasons.

Porter also provides reliable rebounding for the small forward position. He is averaging 5.5 rebounds so far this season and was at a stable 6.4 per tilt in each of the two seasons before. Porter’s currently 15th in rebounds among small forwards, but finished the last two seasons in fifth and seventh, respectively.

Finally, a player like Porter, complemented by another low-usage and high efficiency player like Wendell Carter Jr., creates the perfect scheme to allow Lauri Markkanen to continue to put up lots of points and mask his lack of supporting stats.

With Carter’s rim protection and Porter’s nagging perimeter defense, it wouldn’t be quite the Derrick Rose-era Joakim Noah and Jimmy Butler combination, but it would sure rhyme with it. Not a bad goal for the new year.

Home/Chicago Bulls