With today being the league deadline for teams to extend players entering the final year of their rookie contract, the Bulls have decided against extending Bobby Portis.
Bobby Portis, Chicago Bulls will not agree to a rookie extension, agent Mark Bartelstein tells ESPN. Talks intensified in recent days, but sides will table until summer. Portis will become a restricted free agent.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 15, 2018
Mark Bartelstein, Bobby Portis' agent, said no extension coming: "The Bulls made a great effort. We made a great effort. A lot of effort was put in by both sides. At the end, we said, 'Let's revisit this in the Spring.'"
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) October 15, 2018
Portis will be a restricted free agent this summer, meaning teams will only be allowed to sign him to an offer sheet, allowing the Bulls three days to decide whether or not they’d like to match another team’s offer in order to retain him.
Through three seasons Portis, 23, appears to be another successful late 1st-round pick by John Paxson. Despite that, the Bulls appear ready to move on with Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. in the fold.
Extending Portis would likely limit the Bulls ability to make any major moves this offseason. It appears that the Bulls currently value cap space over Portis, an evaluation that may or may not pay off in the long run.
There are scenarios where Bobby Portis remains a part of the Bulls’ plans, but today’s decision puts his future entirely up for grabs.
