HEADLINES

Bye: Porter Jr. selection ‘feels like boom or bust’ for Nuggets

Jun 21, 2018, 11:04 PM

The Denver Nuggets landed a one-time top prospect in Michael Porter Jr. midway through the first round of the NBA Draft on Thursday amid concerns about his health.

But despite perhaps a general consensus the Nuggets found a value pick in Porter, whose injured back limited him to just 53 minutes total on the court for Missouri prospect, “Stokley and Zach” host Zach Bye said he sees a “real downside” to the pick.

“It feels like a boom or bust pick,” Bye said Thursday night.

From his understanding, Bye said Porter slipped to No. 14 because of his “very questionable physical” and the risk of missing on him was too great for teams in the top 10.

However, with Denver holding the final lottery pick, there wasn’t a “sense of urgency to walk away with a potential franchise player,” Bye said.

“The Nuggets, for this year, and as it relates specifically to Michael Porter Jr., were in the most perfect spot,” Bye said, “because at No. 14, you can take a gamble with a guy like Porter because his upside is so darn high.”

Bye touted Porter’s height — 6-foot-11 — as a swingman, along with his ability in transition.

“He’s got a lot going for him if he’s healthy. And that’s the big if,” Bye said. “And that’s exactly why he’s a Denver Nugget instead of, say, an Atlanta Hawk.”

Ultimately, Bye said he believes the Nuggets will essentially “redshirt” Porter in 2018-’19, putting to bed the question of his health “sooner than later”

“Within the first week of him being in their program here in Denver, I could see them getting out in front of it and saying, ‘We are handling this with the utmost care, we have gloves on, and, essentially, we’re going to bring him along at the pace that our doctors say,” Bye said, adding he can see Porter sitting out the entire season.

Porter told Sports Radio 104.3 The Fan he is “itching” to get back on the court, and he doesn’t believe sitting out a year will be necessary, but he and the team also have to take care of his long-term future as well.

“I feel good, and I don’t think it’ll take nearly that (long). I want to be an instant help to the team,” Porter said. “But, it’s honestly up to the program and what they see is best.”

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.

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