Ten notes, quotes, nuggets about new Heat forward Portis. What to know
Ten things to know about new Heat forward Bobby Portis, who is being acquired in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade with Milwaukee:
▪ Portis has always put up numbers. He ranks in top 30 among active players in two significant categories: career rebound percentage and three-point shooting percentage.
But there’s also an intangible dynamic that he provides — energy off the bench that should fit well on the Heat’s second unit alongside Pelle Larsson and others.
“Bobby has been incredible; he comes in and gives us the spark that we need,” former Bucks teammate Khris Middleton said previously. “It gives everybody energy. Sometimes you need a guy that’s going to scream and yell to get you going.”
And there was this remark from former Bucks coach Doc Rivers, who said last year that through a difficult season for the team, Portis has “been amazing. I always talk about having champions in the locker room. When I’m coaching the team and leave the room, Bobby is the one saying ‘that’s what we want to do.’ He’s tried over anybody to keep this group together this year with the million distractions we’ve had. Every team should have a Bobby Portis on and off the floor.”
▪ Antetokounmpo has frequently spoken about how much he appreciates Portis’ fearlessness. He has credited Portis for rushing over to defend him when an opponent commits a foul that’s a borderline flagrant foul.
In a 2023 game, Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith committed a hard foul on Antetokounmpo. Portis rushed over to confront Nesmith, picking up his first technical foul. Minutes later, he started shouting at Obi Toppin and was ejected. There have other similar incidents of Portis defending his teammate.
The fact that Portis always has Antetokounmpo’s back has further strengthened their friendship.
▪ Portis has shot better than 40% on threes in three of the last six seasons.
In 2020-21, Portis finished with the NBA’s third-best three-point percentage at 47.1%, behind Joe Harris (47.5%) and Marcus Morris (47.3%).
Portis, who was drafted 22nd overall by the Bulls in 2015, shot 45.6% on threes last season, which was second in the league (minimum 40 attempts), behind only the Lakers’ Luke Kennard.
His 39.3% career three-point percentage is 27th among all active players and 83rd best all time.
He also shoots a lot of floaters and turnaround midrange jumpers.
▪ The biggest knock on Portis’ game is his defense.
Quicker guards often victimize him on switches, and he struggles to slow speedy ball-handlers on the perimeter. He’s not ideally suited for drop coverage defensively, which somewhat limits schemes that coaches can use on that side of the floor.
And even at 6-10, he has only 259 blocks in 721 regular-season games. Last season, he had 12 blocks, his lowest this decade, in 67 games.
Last season, opponents shot 51.6% against him; those players shot 48.6% overall. That was fifth worst among all NBA forwards who defended at least 500 shots, with Michael Porter Jr. and DeMar DeRozan ranking just ahead of him (in a bad way). Portis defended 699 shots.
▪ Portis also is not much of a playmaker; he has 955 career assists and 782 turnovers. He has averaged more than two assists per game only once — 2.1 two seasons ago. His assist-to-turnover ratio ranks among the bottom third among high usage players
▪ Though his three-point shooting has been very good throughout his career, it hasn’t translated to the clutch, albeit in a limited sample size. Since the start of the 2020-21 season, he’s 6 for 24 (25%) on clutch threes in the final five minutes. (The NBA defines clutch as the final five minutes of games with a margin of five points or fewer.)
During those six seasons this decade, he has shot 42.8% overall the clutch (27 for 63). But during clutch minutes in 19 games last season, he shot 4 for 6.
▪ Portis has averaged the exact same number of minutes (22.7) in the regular season (721 games) as the playoffs (54). But his offensive efficiency in the postseason doesn’t measure up to his regular-season numbers, which isn’t unusual for many players.
A career 39.3% three-point shooter in the regular season, Portis has shot only 32.9% on playoff threes.
▪ Portis has never averaged double figures in rebounds (a function of playing less than half the game, on average), but he finished 18th and 13th in rebounds per game in consecutive seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23).
And this is more reflective of his skills as a rebounder: Four times, he has finished in the top 20 in defensive rebounds per 36 minutes. His 8.3 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes is 17th among all active players and 49th all time.
Overall, his 16.6 career rebound percentage is 18th among active players and 77th all time.
▪ Several positives worth noting:
He was third in Sixth Man of the Year voting for the 2021-22 season, when he averaged a career-high 14.6 points and 9.1 rebounds….
Portis’ charitable foundation offers mentorship and health support for single mothers and their families in his native Arkansas....
In October 2022, in conjunction with Milwaukee’s mayor, Portis launched a campaign that aims to lower reckless driving and speeding in Wisconsin.
▪ The unfortunate developments worth noting:
On October 17, 2017, Portis and teammate Nikola Mirotic had a physical altercation during practice; Mirotić charged at Portis, who punched Mirotić, causing a concussion and multiple facial fractures. The Bulls suspended Portis for eight games....
On November 4, 2024, Portis’ house was burglarized while he was playing in a game; nearly $1.5 million worth of designer bags, jewelry, and cash was stolen, along with his 2021 Bucks championship ring. In February 2025, seven men were arrested and charged with the burglaries.
On Feb. 20, 2025, Portis was suspended for 25 games for testing positive for the banned substance Tramadol, synthetic opioid painkiller used to manage moderate to severe pain. “Bobby is not a drug user,” Rivers said after the suspension was announced. “One thing Bobby’s not is a cheater.”
But he played well when he returned and the Bucks gave a three-year, $44 million contract four months later.
The altercation with Mirotic was an anomaly. He’s generally very popular with teammates.
Former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said, years after that incident, that “his teammates love him, the coaches love him, the whole city loves him... On the court, he’s going to show his aggression. But if you’re ever around BP outside of that 94 feet, he’s different. He’s lovable, he’s all smiles, he cares.”
Former teammate Jrue Holiday has praised Portis’ character and work ethic.
This story was originally published June 30, 2026 at 10:38 AM.
