The Miami Heat reportedly are interested in Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis.
While Milwaukee may be able to offer Portis more money, the Heat could try to pry him away to fill their need at power forward with P.J. Tucker potentially on his way out in free agency.
said on today's @LockedOnHeat pod that the Heat would have interest in Mo Bamba if he became available, per a source. According to @khobi_price, Bamba will become an unrestricted FA. Heat would also be interested in Bobby Portis but MIL figures to be able to offer more money.
— Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg) June 29, 2022
Portis has been a key player for the Bucks over the past two seasons and was an important part of the team that won the NBA title in the 2020-21 season.
It’s hard to see a scenario where the Bucks let Portis walk, but the Heat are clearly keeping all their options open with Tucker’s decision still up in the air. Tucker decided to opt out of his player option with the Heat earlier in the offseason.
Portis started 59 of the 72 regular season games he appeared in for the Bucks in the 2021-22 season. He filled in admirably for Brook Lopez and helped the Bucks earn the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
A former first-round pick, Portis averaged 14.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from beyond the arc in the 2021-22 season.
His size is certainly a selling point for Miami in free agency, as he’d be able to play some small-ball center for the team as well.
Portis began his career in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls and has also played for the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards. However, he has really flourished in Milwaukee playing alongside superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Heat will have their work cut out for them in trying to convince Portis to leave Milwaukee for South Beach this offseason.
