NBA Draft: Still Dreaming of Michael Porter Jr in a Memphis Grizzlies Uniform

With the 2019 NBA Draft quickly approaching, a unique opportunity could still exist for the Memphis Grizzlies to land a potential star talent in Michael Porter Jr.

They say old habits die hard. Well, so do old dreams of the determined. Around this time last year, the Memphis Grizzlies held the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. They passed on the potential contained within Michael Porter Jr.

I remember the pick like it was yesterday. As I was driving down Goodman Road in Southaven in my 2002 Chevy Astro van, I had already heard three names called to the stage. My heart began racing as I noticed none of the names already picked was the name I was most excited about. As the fourth pick was being read and I was screaming “let’s go, Porter!” in my van, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver read the card.

“With the fourth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select, Jaren Jackson Jr. — forward out of Michigan State.” My heart dropped to the floor. My mind quickly raced through thoughts of a conspiracy from the NBA to keep Memphis an embarrassment. All I could think about was Memphis just passed up on the next Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, etc.

How could the Memphis Grizzlies not roll the dice after such a bad season? They passed on this Michael Porter Jr. guy? As bad as Memphis clearly needed shooting, perimeter scoring, and — bottom line — talent, why not take the guy who checks all of the boxes? Especially with the Grizzlies already invested in (at the time) Jarell Martin, Ivan Rabb, Deyonta Davis, and JaMychal Green at the position they had just drafted.

Even though I myself am also a best player available guy no matter what, I felt Jaren was not the best player available, although I knew he had the potential to be there one day. The mere thought of this may sound nuts to some Grizzlies fans coming off the heels of the NBA announcing Jaren Jackson Jr. as First Team All-Rookie after a 14 points and five rebounds per game rookie campaign, but stick with me on this one, folks.

The guy the Memphis Grizzlies passed up happens to be none other than current NBA Draft prospect Jontay Porter‘s older brother — Michael Porter Jr. — of the Missouri Tigers. Here is a video of him at Stephen Curry‘s camp, manhandling elite talents in the halfcourt, including Chef Steph himself. This is why they call him King of One-on-One.

Michael was the sensation of the nation just a few months prior to the 2018 NBA Draft. He was the consensus No. 1 pick amongst scouts NBA Draft geeks across the world. His arsenal of skill, touch, athleticism, consistent scoring, and shooting all wrapped up in a wiry but 6’11” frame was a show to see.

Porter Jr. was the schoolyard bully of his Draft class, routinely embarrassing other elite prospects in the prep circuit. Hall-of-Fame NBA players who happen to be tough critics of the younger generation such as Tracy McGrady, once stated that Michael Porter Jr. reminded him of himself. I do not recall him saying that about any other NBA Draft prospect since himself. That speaks volumes about his ceiling.

Nevertheless, the pick was Jaren Jackson Jr. and here we are virtually a year later, and Chris Wallace looks like a genius again despite his critics arguing the contrary. Most fans will quickly point out how Michael Porter Jr. ended up needing more surgical procedures and thus missing the entire 2018-19 NBA season. Well, so did Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, and look how those selections turned out for the Philadelphia 76ers.

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I would have been fine with the idea of sitting Michael Porter Jr. one season if it meant we got Tracy McGrady in Kevin Durant‘s frame from there on out. I was so willing, I even revisited the dream of Porter Jr. in a Memphis Grizzlies uniform again when I wrote a piece on trading Mike Conley to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Paul Millsap, Monte Morris, and Michael Porter Jr.

Now that Millsap is an expiring contract, I am not sure how realistic that dream is, especially with Jamal Murray improving, although I still see him as more of a combo guard than a true point guard. However, so are most of the best NBA point guards today.

Michael Porter Jr. would still be a great asset to the Memphis Grizzlies’ rebuild project. Imagine Ja Morant creating a fastbreak with Porter Jr. sliding out to the wing, and Jaren cutting to the basket. How about Morant as the decoy to give Porter Jr. space to create one-on-one?

Could the Grizzlies find a deal that allows us to acquire such a talent with Conley’s value? Certainly. These are the dreams that still haunt the determined restructured Front Office in Memphis ahead of the 2019 NBA Draft.