The starting power forward position will be a hotly contested spot for the Chicago Bulls this season. Bobby Portis will be one of at least three players in the running for the job, but the third-year big man told the Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson that he intends to make that position his own.
“I want to start. Let's just say that first,” Portis said. “I felt my first couple years, I didn't play as much as I wanted to. I felt this summer I put the time and effort in to have the opportunity to start. I feel I'm a different player than I was.”
Portis is coming off a slightly disappointing sophomore season last year. His numbers were down across the board as he couldn’t get consistent playing time under Fred Hoiberg. But he has been hard at work this offseason in terms of leaning out and adding more muscle. He’s also hitting close to 40 percent of his three-pointers in camp according to Hoiberg.
Portis will have some strong competition at power forward after the Bulls drafted Lauri Markkanen and re-signed Nikola Mirotic this offseason. Both are known as capable three-point shooters, but are also liabilities defensively.
If Portis can show he is just as good a shooter and can provide something more on the defensive end, he could have a case to start ahead of the two Europeans in Chicago this season.
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