NBA NEWS

Bulls agree to deals with Portis, Brooks

The Sports Xchange

July 07, 2015 at 5:11 pm.

 

Aaron Brooks will be back with the Bulls. (Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)

The Chicago Bulls signed first-round draft pick Bobby Portis and reached agreement with guard Aaron Brooks on a one-year contract to return next season, according to reports Tuesday.

Portis, a 6-foot-11 forward, was the SEC Player of the Year last season at Arkansas. He spent two seasons with the Razorbacks before entering the 2015 NBA Draft and becoming the No. 22 overall pick in June.

The 20-year-old Portis is on the Bulls’ summer league roster.

Brooks filled in last season because of injuries and played in all 82 games, starting 21. He averaged 11.6 points and 3.2 assists per game.

The contract will be finalized when the league moratorium on player signings lifts Thursday.

The 6-foot Brooks is the third free agent to reach a contract agreement with the Bulls during the offseason, joining guards Jimmy Butler and Mike Dunleavy. With Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich and Tony Snell returning next season, the Bulls will have the same backcourt as in 2014-15.

Brooks, 30, began his career in 2007 with the Houston Rockets and also has played for Phoenix, Toronto, Sacramento and Denver. In eight NBA seasons, he has averaged 11.2 points and 3.3 assists per game.