The Bulls have suspended power forward Bobby Portis for eight games for punching and injuring teammate Nikola Mirotic, tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Portis, who will be allowed to practice during his suspension, per Johnson (Twitter link), will be eligible to return on November 7 in Toronto.
As we detailed on Tuesday and earlier today, Poris and Mirotic were involved in an incident during scrimmage that saw Portis punch his teammate, ultimately hospitalizing him. Mirotic suffered a concussion and fractured two facial bones, and is expected to be sidelined for at least a month or so. Bulls executive John Paxson said today that it will be four to six weeks before Mirotic gets back on the court (Twitter link via Johnson).
Although Mirotic was on the receiving end of the blow that ended the altercation, reports out of Chicago have suggested that both players were going back and forth at one another, exchanging words and shoves as tensions escalated during a scrimmage. The fact that Portis’ suspension is only for eight games and will allow him to practice suggests that the Bulls may agree that both players were partially to blame.
Paxson said today that both players owned responsibility, adding that he wouldn’t call Portis’ blow a “sucker punch.” However, Paxson did acknowledge that Portis crossed a line, calling his punch “inexcusable” (Twitter links via Johnson).
With Portis and Mirotic both sidelined for the near future, the Bulls may have to rely on first-round pick Lauri Markkanen more than expected in the early going. Cristiano Felicio also figures to see an increased role for the next couple weeks, though the Bulls may play smaller lineups in general, given their lack of frontcourt depth. Of course, with Kris Dunn, Cameron Payne, and Zach LaVine also on the shelf with various injuries, the Bulls aren’t particularly deep in the backcourt right now either.
Chicago may have an opportunity to add an extra player to their roster next week, but the team isn’t eligible for that extra spot right away. Portis can be transferred to the suspended list after the third game of his ban, opening up a spot, while the Bulls can apply for a hardship exception if they have four players miss at least three games due to injuries.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
so many players down on an already decimated team.
Only 8 games? Sb half the season! A rutterless managed team that should have been fired years ago
I can’t believe it’s only 8 games either. Even if both sides are to blame, violence was conducted by only one of them. I’d kick his ass off the team.
Management had no clue…
Bulls can forget about tanking now cuz they gonna be the cellar team even if they don’t tank.
He should sit the same 4-6 weeks with no pay or I would just cut him.
Oooohhhhh!! Called it! Instigated by Mirotic. Lol …hopefully this doesn’t significantly impact Portis’ career. Mirotic should face discipline as well. Probably wont v/c he is european, while Portis is black. Pretty ridiculous, but not surprising in this country…Also, Jordan punched a couple of guys in practice too
How did Mirotic instigate it? You can instigate someone all you want but it was Portis’ decision to sucker punch someone. Jordan never put a player in the hospital and Portis is no MJ.
He started the shoving situation, as well as the talking, and he feigned towards Portis…
Also, according to reports, and the bulls themselves, it wasn’t a sucker punch, which 100% goes to the story
Your desire to bring race into this just magnified what a Baffin you are. You contradicted yourself in only 3 sentences and defeated your own argument. You probably don’t even realize it. Well done, dummy
Can you please stop disliking these comments, Bobby Porter.
You should be suspended the same number of games that Nikola Mirotic’s out. Your teammate suffered a concussion, fractured two facial bones, and is expected to be sidelined for at least a month. Expectations are four to six weeks and you got 8 games.
Even if you were both swinging… You connected… hard.
Bobby Portis*
The Bulls seem to be favoring character that matches their talent: Low.
If they’re worried about healthy bodies, then wait to suspend Portis until after Mirotic returns. Don’t just weaken the suspension. Of course they are tanking, so bad leadership is good if it hurts the team.
That’s funny, the Bulls worried about healthy bodies. Not so much about healthy heads.
Or since they know the people involved, they understand that it was mostly Mirotics fault
As long as it takes for Mirotic to come back, both should more less be suspended without pay. If it’s 4-8-10 wks. what ever, so be it. If this was a real job, both would have gotten their walking papers….