Otto Porter

[rockymac52]

While I agree with the concept of easing a player (especially a rookie) back into game shape by letting him play in the D-League for a couple weeks, as well as the idea that young players can benefit from playing regular minutes in the D-League instead of rotting away on the bench of the NBA team, I think the stigma of being sent down to the D-League is just too damaging to the player's perceived value.

It's dumb, and it shouldn't be this way, but it is, at least for now. If we sent Porter down to the D-League this early, even if it's just to rehab his injury, it would destroy his value (not to mention his psyche). That's where the perception that he's a huge bust starts to take over. Now, if we have no intentions of trading him away, this doesn't necessarily matter. Porter will be just as good as he was before regardless of if we send him down to the D-League (most likely). If every other team thinks he's a bust now, who cares?

But then again, even if we don't intend to trade him, I'd still like to keep his perceived value as high as possible, just in case the right opportunity should present itself.

[rockymac52]

I also wanted to add that from my own personal conversations with Wizards front office members about our D-League use, or lack thereof, it seems that it's more so the result of not having our own D-League affiliate than it is injuries/depth.

Sure, in some cases we've had a lot of injuries and we have needed to keep everybody on the NBA team because we simply need the bodies. But then there's also the recent case of Jan Vesely, where he played a total of 7 minutes last February, rotting away on the bench. He would've been the perfect D-League candidate, theoretically.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I know this is probably over the top but... it might be a good idea to just have him work on his body this year.

To be effective the league, he is going to have to get stronger - IMO. Since we don't have a glaring hole at SF and he is behind the 8 ball in terms of being able to contribute this season - why not just give up the ghost for 13-14 and look forward to 14-15.

Work on his body and play in the D-League.

do you think it is playing time or working on his body that he needs - I wonder if a trainer could be sent with him to the D league?

dckingsfan, that's the part I should have included. Send a trainer with him.

Otto Porter is a young guy. He is going to fill out naturally in time. Unfortunately for him, that 197 lbs he weighed at the draft combine, and the fact he appeared to have lost some weight in summer league, makes him to light to be successful as a PF and even a SF in most match ups. He's not ready for the NBA grind IMO. Not yet.

D League would be for his confidence and to keep his body active. The trainer can assist with making Otto Porter build mass gradually and safely. I recall Javale McGee training with a football trainer prior to his NBA rookie season. It helped him some. Yes, definitely send a trainer, plus a nutritionist/consultant, to make sure he's getting the proper protein, hydration, resistance training off the court, and proper rest.

I think Porter will feel good about himself if he's scoring 13-17 ppg in the D-League, with a total game. Much more so than if he's watching Glen Rice, Jr., and others doing better than he despite being the 5th pick.

[stevemcqueen1]

Isn't the D-League for 2nd round fodder, undrafted free agents, and outright busts; i.e. Hasheem Thabeet?

The D-League doesn't seem like a place for the "Most NBA-ready" #3 overall draft pick.

Seems like tbe board is slowly justifying this guy into mediocrity.

The #3 pick in any draft, no matter how piss-poor it is, should be an immediate contributor.

No I think the board has actually slowly been turning on the pick because of two bad summer league games and a hip injury.

Porter will be fine.

[Knighthonor]

Isn't the D-League for 2nd round fodder, undrafted free agents, and outright busts; i.e. Hasheem Thabeet?

The D-League doesn't seem like a place for the "Most NBA-ready" #3 overall draft pick.

Seems like tbe board is slowly justifying this guy into mediocrity.

The #3 pick in any draft, no matter how piss-poor it is, should be an immediate contributor.

No I think the board has actually slowly been turning on the pick because of two bad summer league games and a hip injury.

Porter will be fine.

Well for his skill set he not great at anything. and really didnt fit the wizards. The Wizards need keys in other areas. Why waste a 3rd pick on something you dont need and is bloated at? Also those factors you mentioned.

[Dark Faze]

relying on Webster and ARiza as long term options is dumb.

I would have preferred Noel, but Porter was second on my big board. Don't let the injury and summer league scare you, the kids going to be a great pro.

[nuposse04]

Isn't the D-League for 2nd round fodder, undrafted free agents, and outright busts; i.e. Hasheem Thabeet?

The D-League doesn't seem like a place for the "Most NBA-ready" #3 overall draft pick.

Seems like tbe board is slowly justifying this guy into mediocrity.

The #3 pick in any draft, no matter how piss-poor it is, should be an immediate contributor.

No I think the board has actually slowly been turning on the pick because of two bad summer league games and a hip injury.

Porter will be fine.

Well for his skill set he

not great at anything

. and really didnt fit the wizards. The Wizards need keys in other areas. Why waste a 3rd pick on something you dont need and is bloated at? Also those factors you mentioned.

Define "great." I think for a sophomore in the Hoyas' offense he was quite exemplary. He has a very good 3 pt game, I'd say probably a great mid range game already. Good rebounder for a 4, has a chance to be a great rebounder from the 3 spot. Great defensive instincts. Very good size for the modern SF and a great BBiq. He's a mediocre ball handler I'd say but he does lots of things that could be considered "great" or "very good."

I still believe he'll be playing significant minutes by seasons end. I'm not sure NBA ball is like the NFL, in that if you miss camp, your season is going to be a steep grate the entire way. He has to prove he's healthy though. We can't do anything with Ariza/Vesely/Singleton's expirings until we're sure he can contribute.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

relying on Webster and ARiza as long term options is dumb.

I would have preferred Noel, but Porter was second on my big board. Don't let the injury and summer league scare you, the kids going to be a great pro.

DF, I thought the same of Porter prior to the draft.

[Upper Decker]

relying on Webster and ARiza as long term options is dumb.

I would have preferred Noel, but Porter was second on my big board. Don't let the injury and summer league scare you, the kids going to be a great pro.

DF, I thought the same of Porter prior to the draft.

I'm with you on this one. My concerns for Porter were well documented in this thread around draft time. I hope he proves me wrong. For the sake of the team, he better prove me wrong.

[Knighthonor]

Remember if EG failed on this pick and OP turns out to be a bust! he fired. So what better way to avoid that than to hide him like he did JV.

[mhd]

I was anti-Porter from the beginning. I think Giannis from the Bucks has much more potential.

[stevemcqueen1]

Remember if EG failed on this pick and OP turns out to be a bust! he fired. So what better way to avoid that than to hide him like he did JV.

Ernie's contract is up after this season. His future will be settled one way or another by this summer, long before we know for sure how Porter will turn out.

[stevemcqueen1]

I was anti-Porter from the beginning. I think Giannis from the Bucks has much more potential.

This isn't even remotely realistic. Porter was a far better prospect than Antetokounmpo. This is like when people were claiming Jeremy Lamb was a better prospect than Beal last summer.

[Dark Faze]

Guys, lets just wait to watch the games when he gets a chance to get some burn.

Oladipos entire college career was him basically being a robin who only took highly efficient shots, with little reputation as a shot creator. He's been the complete opposite in pre-season.

There were guys swearing up and down that Bennett was Larry Johnson, had an elite, explosive first step that couldn't be contained, but right now the guy looks like his only weapon are low efficiency jumpshots and putbacks off of offensive rebounds.

You need wings in this league. Desperately. Porter is a terrific prospect. Give it time.

[Dat2U]

The fact that we've heard nothing about Porter's MRI from Monday tells me that his hip injury is probably worse than we thought.

[Upper Decker]

The fact that we've heard nothing about Porter's MRI from Monday tells me that his hip injury is probably worse than we thought.

My 2013-2014 predictions from Porter are less than 41 games played and less than 4 ppg.

The only way he gets more will be if the team starts out 10-31 or something ridiculous like that, Ariza gets traded, EG and Wittman get fired, and the team goes into to blatant tank mode.

[The Consiglieri]

sad thing is you know there's zero chance we'd have picked him if he'd had the same injury on draft night

shows how short term thinking our FO is

Huh? The front office is short sighted for picking players that aren't injured?

No, they're short sighted for passing up on consenus #1 overall players simply because they can't help immediately when you are drafting players for their career (prime in particular) and not simply to save the GM's arse in the final year of his contract. It's short sighted to prioritize a players immediate impact when you don't even know if the player will be healthy tomorrow, even if he is today. Just look at Nene. Fine two days ago, now, not fine. Look at Okafor. NO problems at all. Then catastrophic problems. Look at Wall, no worries about anything, just rehabbing, then out indefinitely last november. Look at Beal, healthy and fine and young, then missing huge chunks of games. I could go on and on.

Drafting Porter because you like him, you think he's NBA ready even though you're wrong, and he's healthy over a consensus #1 player because he can't help immediately is idiotic, and doubly so when the consensus #1 player is franchise caliber on the defensive end, fills a huge need, and adds depth while the other guy is being added to an area of strength with the team.

Total lack of foresight. Now shockingly we've seen both our key big men go down with injuries, and we've made an idiotic trade for a third who was just injured a great deal last year, and is getting older and thus likely more injury prone.

Idiotic decisions, period.

And I haven't even mentioned Zeller, whom I jumped off the wagon of because of a ho-hum sophmore campaign after being very very well thought of (#2-#5 prospect going into the '12-'13 season), who tore it up in the offseason and may have been exactly what we needed to develop behind Nene and to replace him when he's hurt (which is constantly).

[keynote]

BREAKING NEWS ABOUT #OTTO #PORTER~@!!!

http://nikeinc.com/news/jordan-brand-ad ... ll-athetes

Today, Jordan Brand announced that Victor Oladipo, Otto Porter Jr. and Cody Zeller have all joined the Jordan family of athletes. All three will be in Jordan footwear to start the season.
“We are excited to add Victor, Otto and Cody to the Jordan family,” said Michael Jordan. “As we continue to expand and improve our performance product, these young players will be a big part of our efforts around the game of basketball.”
...
Porter, a silky smooth 6'7" small forward from Maryland, was selected third overall in the 2013 draft. In the Porter family, winning state basketball titles is a way of life. Otto won three titles as a prep star in high school and joined a club that includes his father, mother and several uncles and cousins. He completed his two-year college career by averaging 16.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals per contest and was named conference Player of the Year. Porter was also a finalist for several National Player of the Year awards.
...
All three athletes will start the season in JORDAN PRIME.FLY footwear. Porter will also start the season in the NIKE ZOOM HYPERLIMP® hip brace.

For more information on Jordan products and athletes visit jordan.com.

So, there's that.

[The Consiglieri]

Witt was on 106.7 this morning. They asked Witt about Porter and he said they had to shut him down, even from just shooting because a set back.

Witt went on to say he has not coached him one day on the court and has no ETA on Porter return to practice.

The kid is going to be so far behind.


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At this point, if he's able to go at any point this year I'd just send him to the D-League. No point in sitting him on the bench. So he can get 5-12 minutes a game? No purpose to that. Let him go down to the D-League, get his conditioning and feel right. Hasn't been able to play basketball to any consistent degree in a competitive sense in 7 months. He'll need the D-League to get right, don't care about the step down in competition, i want him down there so he can get in the right shape, and get his game back. Sitting him on the bench would accomplish zilch.

[Jay81]

so this guy slipped and was day to day...and by time all is said and done...its going to be a 2-3 month injury?