The Chicago Bulls have been on a seesaw season so far, but the good news is that first year head coach Fred Hoiberg has seen the emergence of his young players.
One such player who has been creating some noise is rookie Bobby Portis, who has been a big boost for the Bulls as of late. He showed how effective he is against the New York Knicks recently, racking up 16 points and 12 rebounds. But his play has been noted even before that.
The 20-year-old power forward has been showing his toughness and hasn't backed down from opposing players. He isn't shy to mix it up inside which makes him all the more a bright spot for the Bulls who have seen their vets struggle or end up in sick bay.
Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, and Taj Gibson have been on and off and stand to set aside some minutes at the rate that Portis is performing. In fact, it may not be surprising if the rookie eventually gets the nod to play more than the vets.
All that falls on the hands of Hoiberg. At some point moving forward, he will have to decide on keeping Portis as a second option or elevating him to the starting spot. And should that happen, one has to wonder what lies ahead for players rumored to be on the trading block — Noah and Gibson.
Noah hasn't exactly been the same under Hoiberg's system, while Gibson has long been the subject of trade rumors. Although the two have had their fleeting moments this season, it would not be surprising if the Bulls would entertain trades.
The Bulls could end up unloading some of their vets for salary cap reasons (eventually) as they gear up for the available 2016 free agents led no less by current Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant.
As far as Portis is concerned, he knows he has a long way to go. Despite being only in his first year, Portis knows he has a tough grind ahead. At the rate he is going, Portis is certainly on the right track.
