The Michael Porter Jr. era has officially begun in Denver. The former Mizzou standout made his first NBA start Sunday night against the Sacramento Kings. The rookie forward (Porter sat out the entire 2018-19 season due to injury) looked impressive as he racked up 19 points (on 8-of-10 shooting) and six rebounds in a 120-115 victory. Porter’s performance was capped off by two consecutive fourth quarter buckets.
First, Porter drilled a tough step-back three pointer over the outstretched arms of Richaun Holmes with just over eight minutes remaining in the game. On the ensuing possession, Porter crashed the offensive boards and turned a missed layup by Monte Morris into a cleanup on aisle 9. Porter’s put-back dunk brought the Denver fans to their feet and likely lifted their expectations to Rocky Mountain heights.
Those fans would be wise to continue to temper those expectations for a little while longer. The Michael Porter Jr. era at Mizzou also got off to a great start before snowballing into an avalanche of ice cold disappointment. Porter landed at Mizzou as the top high school recruit in the nation. His signing brought unmatched excitement, anticipation and expectations.
In a preseason exhibition game with the Kansas Jayhawks, Porter poured in 21 points and 8 rebounds. That performance came against a team that was expected to compete for a national title and ultimately made it all the way to the Final Four. Then a nagging injury forced Porter into back surgery. His promising college career was limited to just three games. The team failed to live up to the hype that accompanied Porter to Mizzou Arena.
Porter’s injury concerns are the reason he dropped from being considered as the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 to No. 14 by the Nuggets. The slide may have been a gift and a curse. On one hand, dropping to No. 14 may have cost Porter nearly $18M on his rookie contract. However, by being drafted by a team that won 46 games the previous season, the Nuggets were able to allow Porter to fully recover and develop into a capable NBA player.
Many early first round picks are thrown in with the wolves by necessity. The Nuggets won 54 games last season and advanced to the Western Conference Finals with Porter on the IR. Even as he returned to the court this season, the team is so deep that coach Michael Malone has opted to bring Porter along slowly.
For the season, Porter is averaging just 9.7 minutes per game. In his Sunday night start, Porter accumulated 26 minutes on the floor and outscored his All-Star teammate, Nikola Jokić, 19-to-17.
Now everyone is asking whether Porter can stay healthy enough to fulfill the immense promise he displayed at Fr. Tolton Catholic High School in Columbia (Mo.) and Nathan Hale in Seattle.
The desire to ensure that Porter remains healthy enough to play could impact the timeline on him graduating to full-time starter. Ironically, Porter’s first start came at the expense of Gary Harris. Harris missed the game due to a bruised lower leg. The injury is not considered serious, so it is just a matter of time before he reclaims his spot in the starting lineup.
Truth be told, Harris would make an excellent sixth man if Porter can be healthy and consistent enough to slot in as the starting small forward. At 6-foot-10, Porter brings shooting ability, length and a knack for offensive rebounding. Compared to the 6-foot-4 Harris, Porter has the potential to be a nightmare matchup on the offensive end.
My hunch is that Porter’s strong play will bring him more consistent minutes. Once Harris returns to action, we will likely see Porter getting closer to 20 minutes per game. Out of caution, the team could, and probably should, limit his minutes in back-to-back games.
Meanwhile the Nuggets coaches, trainers and doctors will be closely watching their prized pupil for any signs of injuries or ailments. Think of the Porter plan as “The Process 2.0.” Just like the Philadelphia 76ers babied Joel Embiid during his first few seasons for the sake of his long-term viability, Denver would be wise to do the same.
That does not mean that Porter is excited about being brought along slowly. Like any talented player, Porter would love to be given the keys to the ship now. Between his lone college season and his lost season with the Nuggets, Porter lost nearly two full years to rehab.
“There were times I was ready to give it up,” Porter told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated back in October. “There were just some really, really tough, dark days. I’m not gonna lie.”
Now all the hard work and dedication is paying off.
“I think in the long run, and I hope one day, Michael, when he’s old and gray, which is a long time from now, will look back and say, ‘You know what, I’m glad it wasn’t easy,’” Malone told reporters. “I love the fact that Michael, who’s been the best player in his class for so many years, humble pie, he hasn’t taken it personally, he hasn’t pouted, he hasn’t felt sorry for himself. He’s grown up, he’s being a man, and that’s why he can go out there and take advantage of the situation.”
As a Mizzou alum, I’m rooting hard for Porter to succeed and realize his full potential. As a longtime fan and follower of Mizzou sports, I must admit that a part of me expects the ghost of shattered expectations (and ACLs) to once again rear its ugly head. However, Malone’s slow and steady approach to Porter’s development is helping to assuage my fears.
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