Michael Porter Jr. is the perfect prospect for the Memphis Grizzlies
Michael Porter Jr. was viewed as a top prospect for this year’s draft. If his injury causes a fall draft night, he’ll be a steal for the Memphis Grizzlies.
At the beginning of this college basketball season Michael Porter was widely viewed as the top prospect for this upcoming draft. However, a back injury has made him an afterthought in this top-heavy draft.
He’ll need to add weight to his slim frame, but his measurables are impressive. He’s 6’10” with a seven-foot wingspan and a smooth shooting stroke that has garnered comparisons to Kevin Durant.
Porter’s Ceiling and fit with this team
Porter could be the player the Memphis Grizzlies have needed on the wing since they traded Rudy Gay.
He can shoot over anyone. He’s a transition nightmare as he can snatch a rebound and start the fastbreak. Not just a shooter, he can attack the rim and put the ball on the floor. He can also facilitate the basketball to others. All of which should translate to the NBA.
Plus ,borderline seven-footer’s with ball skills and a nice shooting touch are hard to come by.
He’ll easily be the most talented player to put on a Grizzlies uniform the day he touches the floor. Again, he’ll need to grow into his NBA body, but he has all the tools to be a offensive force at the next level.
Could he fall to Memphis?
I don’t expect Memphis to fall into the top three picks. The Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, and Sacramento Kings are so horrible, it’s going to be hard to fall below them. However, you never know how things shake in the lottery. Just going off records, it’s safe to assume Memphis will be somewhere between the fourth and sixth picks in the draft. Porter is expected to drop a little bit, but if he has good draft workouts, he won’t slip past sixth.
This would be the perfect opportunity for the Grizzlies to capitalize on a tumultuous season. The front office is way too stubborn to force a rebuild. They would rather fire the coach than trade a franchise player. Arguably so, since they have so much faith in this core group that has had so much success in the past with different coaches. The least they can do is pick a player that will transform the franchise.
Memphis isn’t like most of the teams that will be in the lottery this year. They actually have a good team. They just need a another young piece with alot of promise to pair with Mike Conley, Marc Gasol and Dillion Brooks.
The best thing about Porter going to Memphis is that he won’t have to be the guy that carries the load from the start. He’ll have veterans around him that are used to carrying the team. All he’ll need to do grow, work on his game and come up big when necessary.
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Conley going down could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. They could potentially get the best player in this draft. At least this way, Memphis can improve significantly without trading anyone.
Keep your fingers crossed on lottery night for a top five pick.