The New Orleans Pelicans could possibly take a big swing in the near future, as they have expressed interest in Washington Wizards swingman Otto Porter Jr., according to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.
Porter, who signed a beefy four-year, $106.5 million contract after the Wizards matched the Brooklyn Nets' offer sheet in 2017, has seen his role dwindling, used more as a glorified utility player than a reliable source of scoring.
The Georgetown product is averaging only 28 minutes per game and has now watched many fourth quarters from the bench, as head coach Scott Brooks has opted for the newly acquired Jeff Green and Kelly Oubre Jr. to finish games.
Porter's contract is the result of the recent boom in salary after the CBA allowed for a bombastic increase of the cap. While he has proven to be an effective two-way player due to his length and sharp 3-point shooting, he could be the perfect cog to thrive in Alvin Gentry’s uptempo offense, giving them a much-improved talent at the small forward position to replace make-shift options like Solomon Hill, Wesley Johnson and Darius Miller.
If New Orleans were to make an offer for Porter, it would need to include over $20 million in contracts. Something like Hill, Julius Randle, and a first-round pick works. Given that Porter would fill a gaping hole now and could be a piece for the future no matter what happens with Davis, there aren’t much better options on the market.
Porter is the prototypical 3-and-D talent, but one who comes with a mega-contract instead of a more friendly one like Josh Richardson signed a year ago with the Miami Heat.
The Pelicans will have to give up some valuable assets in order to acquire him, but this could ultimately be the move that could catapult them into serious contenders for the top of the Western Conference.
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