NBA rumors: Warriors have interest in Bulls wing Otto Porter Jr.

According to the latest NBA rumors, the Golden State Warriors may be interested in Otto Porter Jr.

Stephen Curry is in the midst of one of his best seasons ever, but there’s just one problem: With Klay Thompson sidelined, the Golden State Warriors don’t have much hope of seriously contending for a championship this season.

Last year was supposed to be the lost season, with Kevin Durant leaving in free agency and Thompson sidelined by the torn ACL he sustained in the 2019 NBA Finals. Instead, Thompson’s recovery was derailed by a torn Achilles, and since then Curry and Draymond Green have been picking up the slack for an inconsistent, young core of Kelly Oubre Jr., Andrew Wiggins and rookie James Wiseman.

It was no surprise to hear rumblings that the Warriors are eyeing a potential trade for Houston Rockets guard Victor Oladipo, who would provide them with an additional ball-handler much like the role Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston used to fill. However, that’s not the only wing the Dubs have on their radar.

According to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, teams are monitoring Chicago Bulls wing Otto Porter Jr., including Golden State:

“League sources say one team with interest in Porter is the Warriors.”

Warriors keeping an eye on Otto Porter Jr.

This news, of course, is ironic, since the Warriors’ search for extra ball-handling and length in that 2- or 3-spot could’ve easily been filled by just selected LaMelo Ball with the second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft instead of Wiseman. While Wiseman has shown plenty of flashes, Ball is the clear frontrunner for Rookie of the Year and looks like a star.

In any case, Porter would be a flier, since the Dubs’ interest stems from a potential buyout scenario with Chicago. It wouldn’t exactly be risk-free, however: The Bulls wing has only played in 45 games over two-and-a-half seasons since Chicago acquired him back in 2019. His initial 15 games in the Windy City were a revelation, but since then, he’s been too banged up and inconsistent to make an impact.

This season, Porter is averaging 11.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, and although he’s shooting a tidy 40 percent from 3-point range on 4.4 attempts a night, he’s also only suited up in 16 games during the 2020-21 campaign.

With $28.5 million on his expiring contract, the Bulls won’t find any trade takers for an injury-prone player who will become an unrestricted free agent in a few months, but in the event of a buyout, keep an eye on Golden State.