Summary

Going into the season, there was a somewhat realistic scenario in which Porter stayed healthy and played well enough to justify opting out and signing a long-term deal, even if it meant taking a slight paycut. However, that situation did not play out at all, as Porter only played 14 games for the Bulls.

 

There's really no chance that Porter opts out of his contract that pays him $28.5 million in '20-'21. Instead, Porter will take the extra time off to hopefully get his body ready for next season, and if he plays well and helps bring the Bulls up from the bottom of the Eastern Conference, he could earn himself a decent contract as a two-way wing in the summer of 2021.

 

Cap Considerations

Porter has a player option for his $28.5 million salary in 2020-2021, and will be an unrestricted free agent with a $35.1 million cap hold and full Bird rights if he opts out. If Porter opts out, the Bulls could have close to max cap space, but only if Porter leaves.

 

If the Bulls plan on re-signing Porter, they could still create some cap space by renouncing their other free agents (including Kris Dunn and Denzel Valentine). If Porter is re-signed on a multi-year contract, front-loading his contract could be benefical for the Bulls, as it could give them more flexiblity in the future (similar to what the Sacramento Kings did with Harrison Barnes last summer).

 

If he opts out, Porter will certainly demand a starting salary of more than the full $9.3 million Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, which means only teams with cap space will be able to sign him. If Porter and an over-the-cap team have mutual interest, sign-and-trade options can be explored.