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Portis Must Shoot Miami Out Of A Crowded Frontcourt

His jumper is real again. His defensive number is why that might not be enough.

45.6%3-point mark last season
By the Heat Nightly Desk · Thursday, October 8

Bobby Portis made 45.6% of his threes last season, a career-level mark that kept him on the floor for 24.2 minutes across 67 games. But his defensive rating sat at 118.4, dragging the Heat to a minus-8.2 net rating whenever he played, and Giannis Antetokounmpo's arrival has made his forward spot a lot less safe.

Bobby Portis Jr. of the Heat
Bobby Portis Jr.. Photo: Dennis Adair, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Shooting Case

Portis attempted 4.4 threes a night last season and made 45.6% of them, shooting 48.8% from the field overall and 70.6% at the line. That is the best outside shooting of his career at 31, and it is the reason Spoelstra trusted him with 24.2 minutes a game across 67 appearances.

The Defense Problem

The shooting does not erase the cost. Portis ran a 110.2 offensive rating but a 118.4 defensive rating, a swing that left the Heat minus-8.2 per 100 possessions with him on the floor. A usage rate of 22.5% shows the offense leaned on him; a 12.9% rebound rate and 10.3% assist rate show that is roughly all he gave back.

Crowded At Forward

Giannis Antetokounmpo now occupies a forward spot alongside Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins and Nikola Jovic, and Portis carries a $14.5 million salary as the fifth-biggest number on a roster that totals $210.5 million, above the first apron. There is no margin left for minutes that cost more than they return.

Healthy Entry

Portis is not on the injury report heading into the Pelicans preseason game, one advantage he holds over teammates like Pelle Larsson and Andrew Wiggins, both sidelined by illness this week.

The Verdict

Portis does not need to find his jumper again. He already has it. He needs the defensive number to stop canceling it out, because Spoelstra now has other bodies to hand those minutes to if it does not.

What is Bobby Portis's role for the Heat this season?

He is a bench forward valued for floor spacing, shooting 45.6% from three last season across 24.2 minutes a game over 67 appearances.

Is Bobby Portis injured?

No. He is not listed on the injury report heading into the Pelicans preseason game.

By the Heat Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

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