Is Michael Porter Jr. going to play in the 2018-19 season?
By Jason Patt
Michael Porter Jr. fell to the Denver Nuggets at No. 14 because of medical red flags, and now there are rumblings that he could sit out the 2018-19 season.
The Michael Porter Jr. saga was one of the most intriguing storylines to watch heading into the draft and on draft night itself. Porter was once viewed as a potential No. 1 pick before his back surgery at Missouri, and his name moved all over mock drafts in the weeks leading up to the draft. There were rumblings that the Sacramento Kings were interested at No. 2, with other teams in the top 10 also showing interest because of his immense talent level.
Porter going No. 2 would have been crazy given his red flags, but it seemed like he would settle in at No. 7 or No. 8 at the lowest. Then on draft day, rumors of an even bigger tumble started coming out. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, even reportedly was rushing to get teams more up-to-date medical information to ease their concerns.
That gambit failed, as Porter dropped all the way to the Denver Nuggets at No. 14. The intrigue with Porter doesn’t end here, though, as there has been some speculation that he may not play in the 2018-19 season:
Teams have been impressed with Porter in interviews. He was delightful with reporters on Wednesday.
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) June 21, 2018
But team that drafts him will be super cautious putting him on the court in live action. Sitting him for a majority, or all, of 2018-19 season is a real possibility. https://t.co/qKCSLE3cQC
I would not expect Michael Porter Jr. to play this season. It’s early in the process, but just based on what I’ve heard and how much Nuggets President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly stressed patience, I don’t think he’ll play. Redshirt year.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) June 22, 2018
Matt makes it clear that this is his read of the situation - not the Nuggets' official stance - but this is what the Kings were worried about. There were rumblings that he'd need a redshirt year, and they couldn't wait. https://t.co/AwVbUfGQvC
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) June 22, 2018
It’s important again to note that this is just speculation, but this clearly is an idea that has been discussed and isn’t out of the realm of possibility. While Porter surely wants to play after missing most of his lone college season, he did rush back from his back injury and didn’t look good in his few games of action. He also had a minor setback during the pre-draft process that nearly cost him an important workout. It seems apparent he’s still working his way back toward 100 percent, and the Nuggets will want to be patient with their prized draft pick.
Denver also has the luxury of being patient. This is a team that nearly made the playoffs this past season and has a lot of proven talent in place. The Nuggets will contend for the postseason again in 2018-19, with or without Porter. If Porter is healthy enough to play, great, but if not he can redshirt and Denver will be just fine. By 2019-20, some of the roster glut at the forward spots could clear up, clearing the way for more Porter.
And even if Porter never works out for the Nuggets, this pick was still a risk worth taking. Again, they already have a quality core in place, so they should be good in the immediate future no matter what. But if Porter hits, whenever that may be, they’ll really be cooking.