Bulls player who signed a $27 million contract was hospitalized and is out indefinitely after getting punched by teammate

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October 18, 2017 5:07 PM

Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis reportedly got into an altercation at Bulls practice, leading to Portis punching Mirotic and sending him to the hospital.

Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic is out indefinitely after a fight with Bulls teammate Bobby Portis on Tuesday that landed Mirotic in the hospital.

According to The Vertical's Shams Charania, Mirotic and Portis got into a shoving altercation during practice before Portis threw a punch, connecting with Mirotic's face.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Mirotic stayed on the ground for several minutes following the punch before getting up.

The Bulls announced afterward that Mirotic, who signed a two-year, $27 million contract over the offseason, suffered a concussion and facial fractures. He will likely need surgery, according to the team. K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reported that Mirotic may miss a few weeks over the incident.

It's unclear what caused the infraction, but Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago reported that it was "three years in the making," and that Mirotic instigated it.

On Wednesday, it was announced that Portis will be suspended for eight games.

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