Summary

Portis has one real NBA skill - and that's scoring. Portis is versatile for a big and can hit shots from anywhere on the court. However, his efficiency calls into question the value of his scoring ability. Portis's points per shot attempt have always been below average for his position, and often well below average.

 

Despite hitting threes at a decent rate (even as high as 39% in '18-'19), Portis struggles greatly from other areas of the court, especially finishing at the rim. Portis will likely stay in the league due to his shot-making, and I could see him playing a Mike Scott-esque role on a competitive team, where his primary role is to spot up or hit pick-and-pop threes.

 

Cap Considerations

Portis has a $15.8 million team option for 2020-2021, and if that option is declined he will be an unrestricted free agent with an $18 million cap hold and Non-Bird Rights. Since the Knicks will only have his Non-Bird rights, they will be somewhat limited in their means of re-signing him. The most they could offer him using the Non-Bird Exception is a contract starting at $18 million, which should be more than enough unless Portis has a breakout season. And even if Portis does demand more than $18 million, the Knicks could create enough cap space to re-sign him.

 

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