The Chicago Bulls have themselves a real problem, folks.

It all started when Chicago finally brought over European star Nikola Mirotic a year ago. Mirotic fit well into the Bulls’ rotation and proved he is a valuable piece to this team’s future. The guy can shoot from long distance as well as put the ball on the floor and score in the paint — and Lord knows Chicago will need scoring under new head coach Fred Hoiberg.

The emergence of Mirotic took away time from fellow power forward Taj Gibson. Pair that with the signing of Pau Gasol and former Defensive Player of the Year, Joakim Noah, and there was trouble brewing for Gibson’s future with the Bulls. Over the past year or so, it has been widely speculated that Chicago would attempt to trade Gibson due to a front court which continues to become more crowded.

After drafting Bobby Portis in the first round of this year’s NBA Draft, the Bulls all but formally gave Gibson the boot. Both Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale and Grantland’s Zach Lowe have reported their sneaky suspicions that Gibson will be traded, dating as far back as May of 2015 and as recently as earlier this month.

Going into Summer League play, Portis was one of the guys high on the organization’s radar. How would he fare? Would he fit into the system? Would he make a seamless transition from college to the pros? Would he play well enough to merit a Gibson trade?

Most of those questions were given a very loud ‘yes’ as the Bulls concluded their Summer League schedule on Saturday. Portis had shown flashes throughout those six games, but his final performance against the Phoenix Suns proved to be his very best. The 6-foot-11 big man put up 25 points, including going 9-for-9 from the line, to go with 15 rebounds — 6 offensive — and two blocks.

Portis did everything right, for the most part. The guy was an absolute monster when he attacked the basket, proving he can finish when needed. He made quick and concise cuts to the basket, moved well without the ball, and even showed his ability to knock down the mid-range jumper. As I said previously, he hit all nine shots from the charity stripe — something Chicago has struggled in during crunch time over the last couple of postseasons.

Overall, Portis averaged a healthy 14.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in six Summer League games. What’s most impressive about his play, to me, is his ability to shoot the three. Portis shot over 41 percent from beyond the arc during his time in Las Vegas, which gives way to the conclusion that he will fit perfectly in Hoiberg’s system. Between Portis, Mirotic and Gasol, Chicago has three big men with fantastic range.

As much as fans have loved Gibson over the years, especially for those unforgettable put-back slams against the Miami Heat in postseason play, I believe his time is up in Chicago. With the pieces there already, plus adding in what many experts thought to be a top-10 prospect in this year’s draft, Gibson must be moved. His $8.5 million salary over the last two years on his current deal would be poorly spent with how the rotation is looking at the moment.

What is the market like for Gibson, who has desired a starting spot for a few years now? Well, most analysts believe he could start on a handful of teams, if not more. He has been in the Sixth Man of the Year conversation for the past few years, and brings a toughness defensively which many teams covet. For now, there are no pending offers. However, I fully expect the Bulls to make something happen. Believe me, there are teams interested in his services — there’s no question about that.

As for Portis, he has a bright future ahead in a Bulls uniform. Chicago stole him away with the 22nd overall pick when many folks thought he was a lottery pick. In fact, he had been called a “tailor made” big man for the NBA level by Sam Vecenie of CBS Sports prior to the draft.

Following a fantastic Summer League, Portis now shifts his attention to preparing for the 2015-2016 season. As far as Gibson, he may be preparing with a different team sooner or later. Be sure to check back with us often for the latest on Gibson’s future.

Ryan Heckman is a writer for www.RantSports.com covering the NBA and NFL. Follow him on Twitter, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.

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