The Chicago Bulls inked Tomas Satoransky to a three-year $30-million deal this off-season. Satoransky's arrival to the Windy City means that he'll get reunited with his former Washington Wizards teammate Otto Porter Jr.
Bulls head coach Jim Boylen believes that their reunion will bring nothing but positives for Chicago next season.
“Otto loved him, and ‘Sato’ loved Otto,’’ Boylen said per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “Otto is a big part of this team. His trade is not talked about enough. We were 7-5 in February because, first of all, we got rid of [Parker], and we added a guy who brings synergy and chemistry. Otto has that synergy and chemistry with ‘Sato.’ ’’
The Bulls acquired Otto Porter Jr. at the trade deadline last season in exchange for forward Jabari Parker, who never really got it going with his hometown squad. Through 41 games with the Wizards, Porter averaged 12.6 points while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from deep – both of which are below his career percentages.
In a 15-game sample with Chicago however, Porter turned it around. With a heavier load on offense, the 6-foot-8 swing man increased his production to 17.5 points per game, while his efficiency rose to 48.3 percent shooting from the field (at par with his career percentage) and a blistering 48.8 percent clip from downtown, all while making over two triples per contest.
Acquiring the 6-foot-7 Czech guard should help OPJ flourish even further given their familiarity with each other. Likewise, Porter's presence on the Bulls should help ease Satoransky into the team.
The Bulls are in need of an identity and a direction as a team. Perhaps both Porter and Satoransky will help establish the culture that coach Boylen wants to instill in this young squad.
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