The Nuggets‘ front office believes Michael Porter Jr.‘s rehabilitation process has set him up for a standard role within an NBA rotation, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic writes. The No. 14 overall pick in the 2018 draft missed his entire rookie season while he recovered from back surgery, but is scheduled to make his debut this upcoming season.
Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Blake Griffin are among the top players who have missed their rookie season because of injury, Kosmider notes. Simmons and Griffin were each spectacular in their second season in the league, while Embiid took several seasons to fully showcase his ability. Although Embiid’s pitch count seems to get more liberal every year, it’s still a pitch count.
Denver may not ask Porter to play an expanded role right away, as the team has enough depth to compete without major contributions from the Missouri product. Porter’s ceiling can take the Nuggets from very good to great but he must first prove that he can stay on the floor consistently. The team is optimistic that Porter is ready to take that first step.
Do you believe that Porter can help elevate this Nuggets team or is it foolish to count on him for anything at this point in his career? How do you see his career going if he can stay healthy?
Take to the comment section below to share your thoughts. We look forward to what you have to say!
If (IF) he’s healthy, he can be a very good role player and, if he plays well, could see him as a low workload starter or 6th man in the future (whether it be this season or next).
If he stays consistently healthy, definitely can be a starter for Denver
Agreed, the kid has the size and skills to be a successful nba player but he missed his rookie year and basically his only college season. Hard to tell just how good he is
Comparing him to #1 pick Griffin, #3 pick Embiid, and #1 pick Simmons seems a bit silly. Yes, he was hyped a lot, but he is still just a #14 pick. The Nuggets do not have that much invested in him. There is a far better chance that he never plays a minute in the NBA than he ends up like those 3 players. It still COULD happen, but I haven’t seen anything to justify saying it WILL happen.
You realise he only went #14 in the draft because he only played 3 games in college then had a huge injury which is why he still hasn’t played yet.
In high he was was the McDonalds All American MVP, Mr Basketball USA 2017, USA Today player of the year 2017, Naismith prep player of the year 2017 and Gatorade player of the year (best basketball player in high school). The last person to get all 4 and have MVP in the McDonalds game was LBJ. The last people to get all 4 without and MVP in that game are Wiggins and Odom. So coming out of high school he was and elite talent.
To say he was “just a #14 pick in the draft“ is a dumb statement. To say I haven’t seen anything to justify it will happen, OPEN YOUR EYES. He was amazing got injured and hurt his stock and how he appears fit again.
“Open your eyes” to what? Sideline fashion? He’s been a nonplayer. The honors & awards are for a tall guy shooting over smaller guys like a Euro.
He doesn’t really have a position, though the 4 is loaded there, so 3 it is. Denver would be foolish to build their team style integrating a player that probably won’t last while ignoring proven successful players. Maybe next year.
Anything he does this year should be bonus.
If he was healthy could have had a role in Space Jam 2. Then his first season crashed and now he’s got to rewrite history. Getting hurt to a kid like that must be like a sucker’s NBA game-land. After that, there’s only two words left: Michael Porter Jr.
My eyes are completely open. Are yours? This is a guy that has played very little since high school. Sure he was great in high school, but so was Al Bundy (he scored 4 touchdowns in a single game) and about a thousand other guys that didn’t make it in the pros. But that is not even the point.
The point is that not where he should have been drafted or would have been drafted if he was healthy. The point is what the Nuggets actually have invested in the man. They have invested a #14 pick. He IS a #14 pick. Anything else is just speculation. It’s fantasy.
You have a right to your opinion, but so do I. I don’t care if you disagree, because my mind is unchanged. However, do not call my opinion dumb. You might not like it, but that doesn’t make it wrong. And it does not make you worthy of speaking to me or anyone else her with such disrespect. I have nothing else to say to you.
Lol, settle down.
I know he’s been a non play and injured and that’s why he was drafted at 14. But doubting his raw talent and stuff is a joke. The man can ball. Those awards aren’t for a tall guy shooting over smaller guys it’s for his ability. He averaged 36 points and 13 rebounds and played against Marvin Bagley. Yes the nuggets aren’t the best fit for him but he is a 3 and because he is tall he can play the 4. I’m not saying Denver should build around him. It already has a top 3 young core and is in a win now mode. But Porter was really really good you can’t take that from him. If he comes back to where he was, he going to be a star in this league
If he wasn’t hurt in college he probably goes top 5
If I was 10 inches taller, I probably would have gotten drafted too. But probably doesn’t live in the real world.
Silly take. He can get healthy. You can’t grow, except outwards… not up.
This kid in an awesome player. It’s hard to make comparisons but this kid is almost 7 foot, plays SF, is a really good shooter and scorer. Very similar to KD. Obviously he has big injury issues and hasn’t really played competitively for a couple years now but I bet he has been working hard.
I can see him playing decent minutes off the bench and putting up good numbers as the season goes on. Eventually I can see him starting games and being a star if he can stay healthy. I’m not to sure about his fit long term with the Nuggets. Jamal Murray, Garry Harris, Porter and Jokic (the young core) are all really good on offence but they lack a defensive leader. If Porter can stay healthy and become the force he looked like becoming I can’t see him fitting in as a second/third scorer on this team.
I see having more of a lead role on a team with another star. Like a Young and Porter duo or Booker and Porter duo
He was drafted lower because of back issues. Should he stay healthy, in a couple of years he will be a steal.
I don’t know if he’ll ever be a steal, but could justify being a lotto pick.
You’d have to go back to HS to find anything positive (unless you’re privy to practice/ workouts). MVP of the McD’s AA game. Watched the game. My take. GOOD: Natural rebounder (that translates). Nice looking shot (although he missed all his 3’s in that game). Presence. BAD: He’s not a true 3. Doesn’t handle the ball well enough to do much but shoot from the perimeter or move well enough laterally to defend out there. Average wingspan (not a rim protector). Skinny (but he was 18).
For this coming season, I doubt they’d be looking at him as a starter. If heathy, I think he’s at least a rotation player, with huge upside as an offensive 4, and double-double stretch guy. Problem might be finding minutes for him at the 4, but Grant and he can play together.
MPJ will be the best player of that draft class when it’s all said and done. Skillset is > than any other player in the draft class. We’ll see when he gets on the court. Should have just went to New Balance for 1M and trained instead of college.
Mind you most people on this site thought that the 2018 NBA draft class was weak/garbage. Same as what they’ve said about 2017 and even still about 2019.
Idk. Was a deep draft.
MPJ gonna be a beast, if he healthy will be in the MVP conversation in a few year, only thing that can stop him is injuries, his talent is off the charts.
Much like his back, this comment won’t age well
Best thing is for him to showcase and get traded to a team that can build around him and what will likely be his very specific style. DXC said he’s a natural rebounder so that’s good (His scouting reports tended to ignore that area, focussing on health and scoring ability. He does have a 7 foot wingspan but there’s no mention of shotblocking).
On the Nuggets though, besides title ambitions, there is Millsap, Grant, and Juancho at the 4, all talented, plus Bol Bol!
(Is Bol really a 5? Denver likes Plumlee as a second unit leader and Bol will likely prefer to float as a 4.
Also 4s: Cancar looked good in Vegas and Vanderbilt was supposed to.)
Denver will be a fascinating team this year.
So he dresses like Westbrook on the sideline? Who cares?
Oh I get it x% you’re talking about his ball style
Tazza said about MJP all in caps, “Open your eyes”, and I wondered what we are supposed to see because he hasn’t been on-court, instead in street clothes on the sideline.
… didn’t mention Russ but he is fashion-forward…
The way the Nuggets play as a team, and the skill set and athleticism Porter brings to the floor are a tremendous fit. He’s explosive and powerful and he moves to the rim without the ball. Playing with Jokic will bring his best qualities to the forefront. Also he can catch and shoot 3’s, and the Nuggets shoot a lot of open 3’s.
Cancar has similar skills and abilities, and while he might not be as explosive as Porter, he’s more polished and a better passer.
By the end of the season Jokic, Porter and Cancar will be their starting frontcourt and there won’t be a team in the NBA that can matchup.
If they stay healthy, I predict Denver will have the best record in the Western Conference, and make it to the finals.