NBA Draft Rumors: Sacramento Seriously Considering Michael Porter, Jr. At No. 2, Says ‘USA Today’s’ Sam Amick
The 2018 NBA Draft is coming in little more than a week from now, and there’s a good chance that University of Arizona center DeAndre Ayton will be picked first overall by the Phoenix Suns. While Duke forward Marvin Bagley III and Slovenian guard Luka Doncic are often mentioned as the players whom the Sacramento Kings will likely select at No. 2, reports now suggest that the Kings are considering Missouri forward Michael Porter, Jr., a player whom many draft analysts consider a wild card who could go anywhere in the first half of the first round.
In a series of tweets posted on Wednesday night, USA Today’s Sam Amick wrote that there’s a “very real chance” the Kings would choose the 6-foot-11 Porter second overall in this year’s NBA Draft, adding that there are still a few moving parts that might influence their final decision. Specifically, Amick’s tweet came shortly after The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor cited league sources and tweeted that Porter canceled a multi-team workout that was originally scheduled for Friday, with the Kings, Suns, and New York Knicks among the lottery teams that wanted to attend.
Considering how the Kings reportedly “want more intel” on the issues that forced Michael Porter, Jr. to cancel Friday’s workout, Amick added that per his sources, Porter’s hip problems might be related to the back injury that limited him to just three games in his first and only season with Missouri.
“Here’s the scary part for teams considering Michael Porter Jr.: The hip spasms that led to Friday workout being canceled are — in the eyes of at least one lottery team executive — tied to his back injury. Teams still might get a chance to have outside medical look at him Friday.”
ESPN News Story: Michael Porter Jr. cancels second pro day because of strained hip. His draft stock appears to be rising nevertheless as medical info flows out among teams, but question marks persist.https://t.co/9dcSVVMDG5
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 14, 2018
Despite these concerns, The Ringer wrote that Porter’s draft stock has been rising as of late, following “extremely impressive” private workouts with several other NBA teams, including the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies.
With Michael Porter, Jr. now considered a top candidate for the Sacramento Kings as their second overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Bleacher Report wrote that he could stand out as potentially the “best pure scorer” in this year’s draft class, one who’s capable of hitting three-point shots and handling the ball well for a player his size. Given how Sacramento has two other top candidates in mind, the publication wrote that the Kings are currently “lukewarm” on Luka Doncic’s chances of succeeding in the NBA, and that Marvin Bagley III, while a safe pick due to his offensive ability, might have less upside compared to Porter and Doncic.
