Lauri Markkanen will continue to start over Bobby Portis after punch in practice
Bobby Portis will return from his eight-game suspension, which he received for hospitalizing teammate Nikola Mirotic with a punch to the face in practice. Portis, eligible to play, won’t be reinserted back into the starting lineup according to Darnell Mayberry:
Bobby Portis is now eligible to return from his eight-game suspension. But Hoiberg says Lauri Markkanen will continue to start. #Bulls
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) November 5, 2017
Off to a hot start to the season, Markannen makes his case as an early candidate for Rookie of the Year; he’s probably second in that race behind Sixers rookie Ben Simmons.
In eight games for the Bulls, Markkanen averages 16.3 points, nine rebounds and 1.3 assists per game on 43.1 percent shooting from the field and 37.9 percent from 3-point range.
Portis has been on the Bulls for two years since being drafted 22nd overall in 2015. Over those two seasons, he’s compiled career averages of 6.9 points and five rebounds per game on 45.5 percent shooting.
The Bulls drafted Markannen seventh overall in this past year’s draft. They acquired that draft pick in the Jimmy Butler trade.
Mirotic said that he would find it “difficult” to play with Portis after the incident, and wants the team to trade either Portis or himself.