The Chicago Bulls know how important Otto Porter Jr. is when it comes to their postseason chances this season, and they're going to do their best to keep him healthy. That may mean some load management.

Bulls head coach Jim Boylen talked to Porter about the team's plans for the forward:

Porter has dealt with a nagging hip issue for a few years, and he only appeared in 56 total games last season between the Bulls and Wizards. Chicago acquired the 26-year-old right before February's trade deadline.

The forward was terrific for the Bulls in the immediate aftermath of the trade. Porter averaged 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 48.3% overall and 48.8% on 3-pointers in 15 games with Chicago.

The Bulls are a bit lacking in wing depth, so they can't afford Porter to sit out too many games. Chandler Hutchison is still out with a hamstring injury, while Denzel Valentine didn't look good in preseason after he missed the entire 2018-19 season due to ankle surgery. Tomas Satoransky, Thaddeus Young and Shaquille Harrison could all see some minutes at small forward when Porter sits.

Despite the shortage of wing depth, it's still smart for Chicago to play it safe with Porter in order to help him stay healthy and fresh over the course of a long season. The Bulls have playoff aspirations, and they'll need Porter at full strength down the stretch to make it.