Chicago Bulls: 3 players facing most pressure in 2019-20

2. Otto Porter Jr.

Being that the Chicago Bulls were out of the playoff picture by the turn of the new year, they weren’t expected to be major players at the trade deadline. However, they opted to send Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Otto Porter Jr.

Despite the fact that he had to acclimate himself to a new system, Porter didn’t disappoint in limited action with the Bulls last season. In 15 appearances (all starts), he averaged 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assist per outing. He shot 48.3 percent from the floor and an efficient 48.8 percent from beyond the arc. Not too bad for a midseason pickup, right?

One of the interesting parts of the trade was Porter’s hefty contract. You see, Porter’s salary cap hit last season was $26 million. In 2019-20, that figure will rise to $27.3 million. If that isn’t bad enough, Porter also has a player option for the 2020-21 season, when he’s slated to make $28.5 million, which he was more than like pick up, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Whether you are a casual follower or avid fan of this Bulls squad, you have to admit that the front office shelled out a substantial chunk of change for a player that never averaged 15 points per outing during his tenure with the Wizards. Now that Porter is the highest-paid player on the team, Bulls fans are hoping that his level of play during his abbreviated stint last season will be sign of things to come.