Michael Porter Jr. is at full health again
Former Mizzou forward Michael Porter Jr. won’t have any minutes restriction, says Nuggets president.
The Denver Nuggets drafted Michael Porter Jr. with the 14th pick of the 2018 NBA Draft knowing they will have to wait on the forward.
That waiting lasted all season, as Porter didn’t play a minute for the Nuggets and needed back surgery a month after being drafted. The hope was the Porter would be able to play this year and that he would be fully healthy, something that he hasn’t been since his senior year of high school.
The Nuggets’ patience might pay off.
Training camp begins next week and the Denver Post caught up with Denver Nuggets president Tim Connelly. He spoke about the former Tiger.
"Porter Jr healthy?: All eyes will be on Nuggets redshirt rookie Michael Porter Jr. next week when training camp opens in Colorado Springs. According to Connelly, Porter has been “full bore” in scrimmages and won’t have a minutes restriction heading into the season.“I think where he is physically is about as good as we could’ve ever imagined on draft night,” he said."
That’s good news for Nuggets fans. At full health, Porter could push Zion Williamson and others for rookie of the year this season. Porter is a versatile forward who can make an impact right away, as noted by the man in charge in Denver. He could be a steal with that No. 14 pick in 2018, the last pick in the lottery.
At Mizzou, Porter played in just three games, but helped get some pieces on the team, most notably brother Jontay Porter and forward Jeremiah Tilmon, that got the Tigers back into the NCAA Tournament.
The Nuggets were one of the top teams in the Western Conference despite the absence of what could be a top player. With a year of rest, he likely makes the team even better. That could be a scary thing in a deep conference out west.
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Denver also has former Kansas City prep star Bol Bol, another player who dealt with injuries in college that forced him to slip. He will split time in the G League and with Denver.