SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Otto Porter effect was instant.
The Bulls acquired the veteran forward from Washington as the trade deadline was expiring last season, and his impact was immediately felt in his Bulls debut, scoring 18 in a Feb. 8 win at Brooklyn.
In that next 10-game span, the Bulls actually went 7-3, and Porter’s experience on both ends of the floor was a big reason why.
So yeah, of course the fact that the bone bruise in his left foot is still an issue with no timetable for his return has the organization concerned. It should.
Not just because they only got nine very average games from him this season before the foot put him on the shelf. Not even because the organization is paying the 26-year-old $27.2 million this season, and he owns the player option at $28.4 million next season.
No, it’s because they have staggered out of the gate and need him.
“We miss his calm, veteran demeanor,’’ coach Jim Boylen said Monday. “I said this last year and this year too: He settles us down a bit, maybe at times we need that. He makes timely shots. He’s one of our better shooters. And he has positional size, which is a huge part of that big wing position. We miss those things.’’
The Bulls currently miss a lot of things.
Porter at least seemed to supply some of it.
The latest on the foot, however, didn’t sound promising for a quick return. Porter had a two-week window of rehab, and with that ending on Tuesday, he is scheduled to be re-evaluated with a new timetable hopefully given.
“It takes time,’’ Porter said after the shootaround. “Every day it gets a little better. Baby steps. Still getting better, baby steps though.
“You can re-aggravate it absolutely. And that’s what we’re trying to monitor to make sure that these days that I do activities, the next day it’s not over-aggravated or swells back up. We’re definitely watching it close though.’’
Porter admitted to having several setbacks early on, and from a rehab standpoint is only set shooting with work on the elliptical.
“I have no idea about coming back sooner or later,’’ Porter said. “The new MRI I’m supposed to be taking is just supposed to see how far along I’ve come. It will eliminate any other things that might’ve happened as far as like tissue and stuff like that.’’
Until he gets that thumbs up, however, it’s doing what he can to play player/assistant coach from the bench and in the locker room.
“It’s definitely tough watching the guys go through [this start],’’ Porter said. “I just try to remain positive. I still try to be a leader to them in the locker room, what I see out there when I’m watching. What we can do better. I’m always going to be voicing my opinion on what we should do or just adjustments out there on the court. At halftime, adjustments we can make and still be a leader to the young guys.’’
Tip-ins
Porter isn’t the only Bulls player being re-evaluated this week. Chandler Hutchison missed a second straight game on this trip, as his right shoulder contusion will be looked at again in Chicago. The second-year forward was starting in Porter’s spot. … Who has been the most valuable Bulls this season? According to player efficiency rating it’s been second-year big man Wendell Carter Jr. The center leads the team with a 17.92 PER, followed by Zach LaVine at 17.60. Coincidentally, Lauri Markkanen is 11.60, while Kris Dunn was at 12.37. Jimmy Butler, who LaVine, Dunn and Markkanen were essentially traded for? Butler’s PER was 23.78.
