The Chicago Bulls were not expected to compete for much this season after getting rid of Jimmy Butler and pretty much blowing up the team. Apparently, just two days ahead of their season-opener, forwards Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis got into an altercation at practice Tuesday that was bad enough to send the former to the hospital, according to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports:
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Sources: Bulls forwards Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic were involved in serious altercation in practice today, leaving Mirotic hospitalized and out indefinitely. Story coming.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 17, 2017
League sources told Yahoo Sports that there was a shoving altercation at practice and Portis got in a cheap shot on Mirotic's face, which is the reason for him being hospitalized.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski confirms that:
In practice scuffle with Bobby Portis in Bulls practice, Nikola Mirotic suffered a fractured bone in his face, league source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 17, 2017
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune is also reporting that Mirotic is already home and suffered two broken bones:
Mirotic is home after going to hospital. He has 2 broken bones in his face and was evaluated for concussion, per source. Punched by Portis.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) October 17, 2017
It looks like Portis might have punched his way into the starting position that was supposed to belong to Mirotic. That's assuming he doesn't serve some sort of suspension from the league or the team first, which has to be likely at this point.
The 22-year old Portis was the Bulls' 22nd overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft while Mirotic signed a two-year, $27 million deal this offseason to stay with the team.
