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Michael Porter Jr.'s fall in the 2018 NBA Draft was directly tied to injury concerns. The 6-foot-10 forward was once thought to be a lock for a top-five pick.
But as each team passed on Porter, it became clear that many teams had reservations about Porter's ability to come back fully healthy. But eventually, the Denver Nuggets selected Porter with the 14th pick in the first round and his draft nightmare was over.
Following the draft, the focus in Denver is all about making sure Porter has all the time he needs to recover. According to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic, Porter discussed Denver's insistence that he has no specific timetable for his return on “The Doug Gottlieb Show”:
“They’ve just told me: ‘Our primary concern is to get you all the way healthy. When that happens, you’re going to be a great player, but we don’t want to skip steps and don’t want to put you out there when you’re not 100 percent,’ ” Porter said. “It all depends on what they think and how well I progress. But, knowing me, I’m going to do everything I can to get back as soon as I possibly can. I’m ready to be on the floor and compete and play. I’m looking forward to that.”
It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Nuggets keep Porter out of action for the entire season in 2018-19. This is something that more teams are doing to protect their young players. The Nuggets were on the cusp of the playoffs last season and they've got a great chance at making the playoffs without Porter next season.
Their best bet is to take their time with Porter and hope he returns better than ever.
