Age: 20
Height, Weight: 6-foot-10, 210 pounds
Slash Line: N/A
Season Averages: N/A
Michael Porter Jr. entered college basketball as maybe its top player in 2017-18. Unfortunately for him, a back injury caused most of that season to disappear, except for three games. This not only took him out of not just the top five, but the top 10. Instead, the Denver Nuggets selected the Missouri product at No. 14.
As of Mar. 4, though, Porter Jr. has yet to suit up for the Nuggets.
It’s the result of extreme caution with the rookie forward, who suffered back spasms in the draft process. There was little reason to risk his future at age 20, and with the pieces already in place.
Denver never officially ruled Porter out for the season, but their top-two play in the Western Conference negated the need to rush him. They have a loaded depth chart at each position, and while he would have added luxury, it was not needed to keep this team afloat.
If the New York Knicks took Porter, would they have forced him to play? For a team with nothing to play for and little to be excited about, maybe. They have provided opportunities to everyone, but mishandling the young forward could prove disastrous.
Thus, maybe it’s for the best that Porter landed in a healthier situation. The Knicks’ future possesses upside, but not enough guarantees to make it smooth for a player with a cautionary injury history.