The NBA Trade Deadline brings us many fun rumors, discussions and analysis about everything that went down. It also creates opportunities for players, whose pathway to minutes is often cleared in a way that never existed before. In the case of Chicago Bulls power forward Bobby Portis, the trades of Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott opened up a major role.
Portis now slides into the starting lineup after he posted some of the best stat lines of the year. Portis, who averaged barely 13 minutes per game before February, saw extended minutes in two of Chicago's last three games before the All Star Break. In 31 minutes of action on Feb. 12, Portis posted 16 points and six rebounds, then four nights later put up 19 points and eight rebounds in 26 minutes.
The door is now wide open for Portis. He'll get an extended run and major minutes with the starters, an opportunity for the 22-year-old to prove he was worthy of the 22nd overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft.
While Portis sat off the fantasy radar to enter February, he should be a major target for adding in fantasy leagues as the calendar turns to March. Portis should see 25-plus minutes per night and if he performs well, could approach the 30-minute mark on several nights. You can never have enough points and rebounds, which Portis should prove plenty of with his new opportunity.