Otto Porter

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Give the Wizards some credit for acquiring many mentors for Porter. Along with Ariza there has also been Pierce, Butler, and Webster. A lot of vets have had time to talk to Otto and to practice either with or against him. In the grand scheme, Otto Porter is breaking out early enough. He's still 21 and this is just his second season. He has no doubt been mentored well.

I have a 15-year old son who reminded me of something I told him about training to improve his explosiveness and speed...a couple years ago! I never expected he would recall or even remember. But he was paying attention.

Otto might be well prepped to do well.

(I hope my son will have some slightly older, solid peers and coaches who support him.) I think Wittman is a father figure and he's probably been great at everything but playing Otto in games. Trust issues don't mean Wittman has been down in practice or behind the scenes with Porter.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I am more concerned about Porter's defense. Offensively i think he will be fine. Before the draft i was worried about his jumper but that looks to be a strength to me. He has a quick release and can shoot on the move. His BBall IQ and off the ball movement will get him some easy looks inside playing with Wall.

I think his lack of athleticism is a bigger problem on D.

It's a bigger problem vs. guards... he seems to do okay vs. other SFs and smaller PFs.

But this just keeps making me think that we should have Kawhi Leonard

In a few years Otto Porter might be able to hold his own against Kawhi Leonard.

[DCZards]

The kid needs minutes, he's always needed minutes. His playing time has been sapped by Butler and Webster, and that's inexcusable. Porter can flat out play ball man, it's frustrating watching him ride the pine.

Totally agree. OP should have been getting regular minutes all season long. And those posters who expect Porter to play well "consistently" need to cut the kid some slack. He's going to have ups-and-downs and make mental errors, pretty much just like any 21 year old player...who is essentially a rookie.

[Higga]

Porter compliments Wall. The two should play together more often, should have all year really. Porter just doesn't fit the 2nd unit well.

I hope come playoff time Porter continues to start and Pierce comes off the bench. He has the veteran savvy to make that work. You want your bench players, especially in the playoffs, to have a kind of alpha dog mentality(Andre Miller had that last year, remember how great he was particularly the first couple games of the Bulls series)and Porter doesn't have that yet but you know Pierce does.

For the long term potential of this franchise we need Porter to really take a jump. Not necessarily be a star but I mean at least be a solid 3rd/4th option which isn't asking for much from a #3 overall pick. I think he can easily achieve that too.

[MDStar]

I honestly don't believe that he needs to start, he just needs to play more with the starters. This can easily be accomplished in the playoffs once the rotation gets smaller. Pierce no longer can log 40+ min a game, but you can be certain that Wall & Beal will. So let Pierce start, put him on the Beal rotation where he comes out at the 6min mark, and then let Porter run the last 6 min of the 1st and 3rd quarters with the starters. Everybody is happy and everybody is put in a situation where they can succeed.

***Note *** Everybody = Porter and Pierce.

[Wizardspride]

Click to read the rest
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/ot ... story.html

Otto Porter Jr. growing up before our eyes with Wizards



Jeff Green drifted off Otto Porter Jr., neglecting the bespectacled Washington Wizards forward atop the key at FedEx Forum on Saturday night. Green, a talented swingman and Georgetown product like Porter, was fixated on Bradley Beal, who was working around a screen from Marcin Gortat on the left wing. The decision demonstrated Green’s priorities: Beal and Gortat were far greater threats even with two defenders in their immediate vicinity.

Beal recognized Green’s desertion and instantly skipped a pass to an open Porter. In one motion, Porter caught the basketball and drained a three-pointer. The shot deflated the surging Memphis Grizzlies and extended the Wizards’ lead back to 10 points in the third quarter of their 92-83 victory.

“That was kind of a momentum killer,” Wizards Coach Randy Wittman recalled after the game.

[LyricalRico]

Porter compliments Wall. The two should play together more often, should have all year really. Porter just doesn't fit the 2nd unit well.

Yep, totally agree. Porter plays better when he plays faster, which means he needs to play with Wall.

I honestly don't believe that he needs to start, he just needs to play more with the starters.

I agree with this, as well. I think starting a rested Pierce in the playoffs gives you something, and he's also the kind of clutch shot maker that we need at the end of games. But in the middle, we need to see lots of Otto Porter. Certainly no Webster, and very little of Rasual Butler (unless we need to go small and hit 3's to mount a comeback).

[nate33]

Porter compliments Wall. The two should play together more often, should have all year really. Porter just doesn't fit the 2nd unit well.

Yep, totally agree. Porter plays better when he plays faster, which means he needs to play with Wall.

I honestly don't believe that he needs to start, he just needs to play more with the starters.

I agree with this, as well. I think starting a rested Pierce in the playoffs gives you something, and he's also the kind of clutch shot maker that we need at the end of games. But in the middle, we need to see lots of Otto Porter. Certainly no Webster, and very little of Rasual Butler (unless we need to go small and hit 3's to mount a comeback).

It's not just that Porter plays better faster. I think it's also that he's better at making cuts off the ball and finding seams in the defense. That skill is maximized when he is playing alongside good passers like Wall, Beal, Gooden and Nene. It's wasted when playing alongside guys like Sessions, Butler, Humphries and Seraphin.

[Dat2U]

For the long term potential of this franchise we need Porter to really take a jump. Not necessarily be a star but I mean at least be a solid 3rd/4th option which isn't asking for much from a #3 overall pick. I think he can easily achieve that too.

It would be nice if we actually started using some of his offensive skillset instead of having him stand in corner or wing waiting to spot up.

His mid-range game in college was pure butter. That's why I'd love to see the floor spread with Pierce at the 4 and they can flip Porter into Nene's spot in the high post and allow Pierce to operate from the wings. Give Porter some touches in his comfort zone. I'd imagine he'd perform there pretty well.

[Ruzious]

He's very skilled at cutting toward the basket - no coincidence that he learned to excel in the Princeton offense. And Wall excels at hitting cutters. Shocking that he and Wall seem to have some chemistry.

[DCZards]

His mid-range game in college was pure butter. That's why I'd love to see the floor spread with Pierce at the 4 and they can flip Porter into Nene's spot in the high post and allow Pierce to operate from the wings. Give Porter some touches in his comfort zone. I'd imagine he'd perform there pretty well.

Yup, OP is extremely skilled when operating out of the high post. Both his shooting and passing are excellent from there. At G'Town I loved the poise and patience he displayed while facilitating the Hoya offense from that spot.

[tontoz]

Porter compliments Wall. The two should play together more often, should have all year really. Porter just doesn't fit the 2nd unit well.

Yep, totally agree. Porter plays better when he plays faster, which means he needs to play with Wall.

I honestly don't believe that he needs to start, he just needs to play more with the starters.

I agree with this, as well. I think starting a rested Pierce in the playoffs gives you something, and he's also the kind of clutch shot maker that we need at the end of games. But in the middle, we need to see lots of Otto Porter. Certainly no Webster, and very little of Rasual Butler (unless we need to go small and hit 3's to mount a comeback).

It's not just that Porter plays better faster. I think it's also that he's better at making cuts off the ball and finding seams in the defense. That skill is maximized when he is playing alongside good passers like Wall, Beal, Gooden and Nene. It's wasted when playing alongside guys like Sessions, Butler, Humphries and Seraphin.

Exactly. That is why i havent been buying the bust talk. He is practically a different player in the starting lineup.

[FAH1223]

I am more concerned about Porter's defense. Offensively i think he will be fine. Before the draft i was worried about his jumper but that looks to be a strength to me. He has a quick release and can shoot on the move. His BBall IQ and off the ball movement will get him some easy looks inside playing with Wall.

I think his lack of athleticism is a bigger problem on D.

It's a bigger problem vs. guards... he seems to do okay vs. other SFs and smaller PFs.

But this just keeps making me think that we should have Kawhi Leonard

In a few years Otto Porter might be able to hold his own against Kawhi Leonard.

I'll say this, Otto was more offensively skilled than Leonard was coming out of college. Leonard had the edge with everything else: athleticism, size, defense and rebounding with those claw hands of his.

AND Leonard is looking Pippen-esque defensively. It is really a joy to watch the kid play defense, I'm very jealous every time I watch the Spurs.

I remember our 2011 draft threads and I warmed up to the idea of Kawhi with the Wizards after seeing his workout videos at Verizon Center.

But when I heard the Czech Embassy was at the arena for the draft party it made me so pissed.

[Ruzious]

It's a bigger problem vs. guards... he seems to do okay vs. other SFs and smaller PFs.

But this just keeps making me think that we should have Kawhi Leonard

In a few years Otto Porter might be able to hold his own against Kawhi Leonard.

I'll say this, Otto was more offensively skilled than Leonard was coming out of college. Leonard had the edge with everything else: athleticism, size, defense and rebounding with those claw hands of his.

AND Leonard is looking Pippen-esque defensively. It is really a joy to watch the kid play defense, I'm very jealous every time I watch the Spurs.

I remember our 2011 draft threads and I warmed up to the idea of Kawhi with the Wizards after seeing his workout videos at Verizon Center.

But when I heard the Czech Embassy was at the arena for the draft party it made me so pissed.

And he hasn't reached his peak yet. He's played hurt this season and even had an eye problem that limited him. He can shut down point guards to small forward and even some PF's, and SA is giving him more control of the offense. In a couple of years, he could be an MVP candidate - as he has more epic battles with Lebron.

[Ruzious]

It's a bigger problem vs. guards... he seems to do okay vs. other SFs and smaller PFs.

But this just keeps making me think that we should have Kawhi Leonard

In a few years Otto Porter might be able to hold his own against Kawhi Leonard.

I'll say this, Otto was more offensively skilled than Leonard was coming out of college. Leonard had the edge with everything else: athleticism, size, defense and rebounding with those claw hands of his.

AND Leonard is looking Pippen-esque defensively. It is really a joy to watch the kid play defense, I'm very jealous every time I watch the Spurs.

I remember our 2011 draft threads and I warmed up to the idea of Kawhi with the Wizards after seeing his workout videos at Verizon Center.

But when I heard the Czech Embassy was at the arena for the draft party it made me so pissed.

That's when it sunk in for me that we had a truly incompetent GM.

[hands11]

OP is begun resembling TA in how he uses his length and anticipation to
get steals leading to breakaways in the open court. He looks like he's
going to be a fine player especially if he can get wire-y strong. I don't
necessarily want him to try to fill out too much. But he can get stronger
even without doing that.

Rip was an early comp for the way he could move.

TA with handles another.

Otto is has solid upside in his range.

Playoffs aren't far way. Hopefully he keep it up. Getting him out there with the starters... Wall and Gortat is the key.

Put him with Sessions, Rasual, Hump and Kevin.. He won't do as well. Put him with Wall, Gooden and Gortat. He will do better.

[stevemcqueen1]

Otto actually ran and jumped better at the combine than Leonard did. His athleticism is undersold and you really see it now that he's in the NBA in how he beats everyone down the floor and plays above the rim.

[stevemcqueen1]

I went looking for Kawhi Leonard's combine numbers on DX and I notice they projected his best case scenario as Shawn Marion. That ended up being a prescient prediction.

[dobrojim]

Otto actually ran and jumped better at the combine than Leonard did. His athleticism is undersold and you really see it now that he's in the NBA in how he beats everyone down the floor and plays above the rim.

I too am not buying the meme put out by some that he is not that athletic.

And also, someone above said Kawhi had a size advantage. Well Kawhi being a couple years
older has filled out more but isn't he only about 6-7 and OP is a legit 6-9 so I'm not
sure I'm buying that either. That said, while OP has looked really nice lately he hasn't yet
won a Finals MVP so I think we need to be careful with the projections. It's nice to
dream until you wake up and discover that that isn't Ms Steph Curry's unmarried twin
sister nuzzling up to you in bed.

[Induveca]

An optimism graph in this thread would look like.....