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Chicago Bulls: 5 goals for Otto Porter Jr. in 2020-21

By Thomas J. Brown

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 08: Otto Porter Jr. #22 of the Chicago Bulls reacts against the Brooklyn Nets in the second half at Barclays Center on March 08, 2020 in New York City. 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. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 08: Otto Porter Jr. #22 of the Chicago Bulls reacts against the Brooklyn Nets in the second half at Barclays Center on March 08, 2020 in New York City. 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. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Otto Porter Jr. exercised his $28.5 million player option to play the final year of his contract for the Chicago Bulls. This will be a pivotal year for him.

In the middle of the 1997, up-and-coming small forward Jim Jackson was traded to the New Jersey Nets from the Dallas Mavericks. While observers around the league identified Jackson as a great young talent with All-Star potential, Dallas’ front office felt it was time to move on from the “3 J’s” experiment that saw Jackson teamed up with Jason Kidd and Jamal Mashburn.

After landing in New Jersey, Jackson continued to flourish, starting in every game he appeared in and averaging 16.5 points per game for the remainder of the season. Along with Jayson Williams, Sam Cassell and Kendall Gill, it appeared Jackson might be a key component in finally turning things around in New Jersey.

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However, head coach John Calipari and the Nets’ front office had other plans in mind. There was a versatile 6’10” forward out of the University of Utah named Keith Van Horn that they had their eye on; Jackson was traded, along with several other players, to the Philadelphia 76ers for the right to Van Horn.

Although performing admirably during his short audition for the franchise, he hadn’t been deemed a building block for the future. Jackson was left to toil in relative obscurity for a team that posted a losing record. Meanwhile, Van Horn and the Nets enjoyed a breakout season and returned to the postseason year.

The story of Jim Jackson is a cautionary tale to veterans across the NBA. If you find yourself on a team that is one step away from being a winner, make sure you convince the front office you’re worth keeping. Otherwise you may find yourself traded away to purgatory, left to rot for a franchise that’s only trying to clear cap space instead of trying to reach the playoffs. This is the dilemma Otto Porter Jr. finds himself in. Having just exercised his $28.5 million player option for this season, this is his last chance to convince the Chicago Bulls’ front office to keep him.

By hiring proven head coach Billy Donovan this off-season and continuing to groom young talent like Coby White and Wendell Carter Jr. the Bulls have shown they are in win-now mode. Otto Porter Jr. wants to be around when Zach LaVine and company finally get over the hump and make the team a perennial postseason fixture. This upcoming season is the last act of his audition to stay in town. Here’s what he must do in order to stick around.

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