It looks like NBA Nikola Mirotic won't be in the revamped Chicago Bulls picture for a little while, as the projected starting power forward has suffered an unexpected injury at the hands of his backup at the position, Bobby Portis. In turn, neither will the team be with Portis for some games, as Mirotic was hospitalized and Portis suspended following a physical altercation that took place between the two on Tuesday, October 17.
According to teammates and coaches, Portis and Mirotic got into a heated back and forth that eventually escalated and spun out of control. Portis threw a punch that connected with Mirotic's face and left him with a concussion and facial fractures. An evaluation of Mirotic's injuries has prompted team officials to gauge that he will be out four to six weeks. Portis has been handed down an eight-game suspension for the senseless act, which team witnesses say they both played a hand in building up to but was nonetheless unwarranted by Portis.
"Both players owned responsibility in the incident itself," Bulls Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson said in a statement issued to the press on Wednesday. "But only one player threw a punch. And that punch connected and for us that is inexcusable. It's not who we are. It disappoints us in terms of what happened, and because of that we've determined that we're going to suspend Bobby for eight games."
Mirotic, who was brought back to Chicago for two years, $27 million this offseason, was expected to start for the Bulls. Portis will likely fill in for Mirotic in weeks to come, but for the present time, rookie Lauri Markkanen has taken over the role.
Source: ESPN
