Otto Porter Set To Return For Bulls

Otto Porter, who has been sidelined for nearly four months, said today that he’ll return to the Bulls‘ active roster for Monday night’s game against Dallas, according to Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link).

Porter suffered a foot injury early in the 2019/20 campaign, dealing with a bone bruise, bone edema, and a small fracture in that troublesome left foot. He last suited up for Chicago on November 6, having appeared in the Bulls’ first nine games of the season.

Acquired at last year’s trade deadline for the expiring contracts of Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis, Porter has played just 24 total games since arriving in Chicago, averaging 15.1 PPG and 4.8 RPG with a .463/.458/.846 shooting line. When he’s in the lineup, he has been a reliable three-and-D frontcourt option for the club, but health issues have limited his playing time both this season and last season.

Even if Porter finishes stays healthy and plays well over the next month and a half, he’s unlikely to opt for free agency by turning down his $28.5MM player option for 2020/21 this summer. As such, he’ll likely return to the Bulls next season, barring a trade.

The Bulls are gradually getting healthier after being hit hard by the injury bug this season. Wendell Carter played on Saturday for the first time since early January, while Lauri Markkanen, who last played on January 22, appears to be nearing a return as well.

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