Thursday 28th March 2024,
The Hoop Doctors

Nikola Mirotic is ‘Upset’ That Bobby Portis Has Returned to Chicago Bulls Before Him

Nikola Mirotic

Bobby Portis’ eight-game suspension from the Chicago Bulls wasn’t enough. Not for Nikola Mirotic.

The team suspended Portis after a physical altercation with Mirotic that left the latter with a concussion and facial fracture. He is still weeks away from a return, but Portis made his season debut with the Bulls on Tuesday night in a loss to the Toronto Raptors.

And Mirotic isn’t happy about it, according to the Chicago Tribune‘s K.C. Johnson:

Meanwhile, though he is free of his concussion symptoms, Nikola Mirotic remains weeks away from returning from the two facial fractures that Portis caused with a punch to the face during an Oct. 17 altercation between the forwards in practice. Mirotic remains upset enough over the disparity in time of absences that he has had little contact with teammates, and his camp has made clear to management that, for now, it doesn’t see a way the two forwards can coexist.

This is a tough dynamic to balance.

Add this to the mounting list of dirty-laundry items in Chicago. It has become exceedingly clear Mirotic isn’t ready to bury the hatchet. And he may never be. Not only is this a serious matter, but the look of Portis returning before Mirotic when he’s the primary reason the 26-year-old remains sidelined isn’t a good.
Expect all this to end with Mirotic’s relocation. He cannot be traded until after Jan. 14, and a lot can happen between now and then. But if he continues harboring resent for Portis leading into his own debut, whenever that is, the Bulls will have reached the point of no return.

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