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Michael Porter Jr.

Hornets Notes: Porter, Walker, Kaminsky, Howard

June 1st, 2018 at 2:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Michael Porter Jr. could be a risk worth taking for the Hornets if he lasts to the 11th pick, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Porter was among the top recruits in college basketball last year, but a back injury sidelined him for almost the entire season. He underwent surgery to remove a piece of bone that was placing pressure on a nerve and has declared himself to be healthy.

Porter has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant, standing 6’10” with the skills of a small forward. If enough teams are scared off by his medical history, Porter could present new GM Mitch Kupchak with his first major draft decision since coming to Charlotte.

There’s more from Charlotte:

  • The Hornets might be willing to ship Kemba Walker to Cleveland in a deal involving the No. 8 pick, but LeBron James‘ uncertain status makes the trade problematic, Bonnell notes in the same story. Dealing Walker, who has one year left on his contract, for a draft choice would help ease Charlotte’s cap situation, but the Cavaliers won’t know until July if James is leaving. The eighth pick becomes extremely valuable if Cleveland is facing a rebuilding project.
  • Frank Kaminsky hasn’t done enough in three seasons to convince the Hornets he’s worthy of a long-term investment, Bonnell adds. The ninth pick in the 2015 draft has averaged 10.0 points per game since joining the team, and there are concerns about his rebounding and passing. Bonnell believes Charlotte wouldn’t hesitate to draft another power forward.
  • Dwight Howard could be a buyout candidate if he’s still on the roster in February, Bonnell writes in a mailbag column. The veteran center will make more than $23.8MM in the final year of his contract.
  • In the same piece, Bonnell puts the odds at 50-50 for free agents Michael Carter-Williams and Treveon Graham to return to the Hornets next season. An abundance of guaranteed contracts for wing players will limit Graham’s opportunity, while Carter-Williams is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he shot a career-low 33% from the field.
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Combine Notes: Porter, Bamba, Young, Hutchison

May 21st, 2018 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers have their eyes on Michael Porter Jr. and are hoping to use their picks at No. 12 and 13 to trade up in the draft, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. The Missouri forward, who missed almost the entire season with a back injury, could give L.A. a reliable scorer in the frontcourt. O’Connor notes that team owner Steve Ballmer stopped his session with the media at the combine to listen to Porter’s interview.

Porter, who is projected at No. 8 to the Cavaliers in the latest mock draft by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, told reporters he had combine interviews scheduled with 13 teams, including the Clippers. He also stated that he believes he’s “the best player in the draft.”

L.A.’s challenge is finding a team willing to trade down. O’Connor cites the Grizzlies, Mavericks, Magic and Bulls — who hold picks four through seven — as teams in need of multiple assets. However, it’s not clear if any of them is willing to move back in the draft, and O’Connor has heard that Memphis is planning to keep its No. 4 pick. The Grizzlies are looking for size, O’Connor adds, but are the only team in the top eight not to ask for a meeting with Texas center Mo Bamba.
O’Connor’s recap on the combine is filled with interesting tidbits. Here are a few of the highlights:
  • Bamba believes he could form a dangerous combination with Mavericks point guard Dennis Smith Jr., but Dallas may not be interested. With Dirk Nowitzki returning for another season, the Mavs will try to rebuild quickly to put a contending team around him. That means targeting a free agent big man such as DeAndre Jordan, DeMarcus Cousins or Julius Randle, which would make a scorer like Porter more attractive in the draft. O’Connor notes that Cousins’ agent, Jarinn Akana, has strong ties to the Mavericks. Of his 12 clients, five have played in Dallas and another was with its G League affiliate, Jaleel Cousins, who is DeMarcus’ brother.
  • The Knicks are interested in Oklahoma point guard Trae Young if he falls to the ninth pick. They see him as a good fit alongside last year’s first-rounder, Frank Ntilikina, who can take on the tougher defensive matchup and help space the floor for Young to drive to the basket. However, the Magic at No. 6 and the Cavaliers at No. 8 both need point guards, so Young could be off the board before New York’s selection.
  • It still isn’t clear who made a draft promise to Boise State forward Chandler Hutchison, but O’Connor was told he won’t drop into the late first round. Hutchison, who is expected to be taken between the 18th and 24th pick, held workouts for the Timberwolves and Bulls before withdrawing from the combine. It may or may not be a clue, but Hutchison’s agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports, is a friend of Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf and has represented many Chicago players.
  • Kostas Antetokounmpo showed a lot of similarities to his older brother Giannis Antetokounmpo in his combine workouts. Kostas, 2o, could be a second-round pick and may be a valuable asset for a team to have when Giannis hits free agency in 2021.
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Combine Notes: Bridges, Sixers, DiVincenzo, Sexton

May 18th, 2018 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Michigan State wing Miles Bridges, a probable lottery pick, interviewed with the Bulls, Pacers, Kings, Cavaliers, Spurs, Nuggets, and Clippers earlier this week, and was set to meet with the Sixers, Hornets, and Knicks on Friday, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Bridges is one of several intriguing prospects the Sixers are meeting with in Chicago this week, according to Pompey, who adds Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr., Michigan State power forward Jaren Jackson Jr., and IMG Academy guard Anfernee Simons to that list. Kentucky’s Hamidou Diallo was also scheduled to interview with Philadelphia on Friday, Pompey tweets.

Finally, Pompey has details on Villanova’s Donte DiVincenzo, who has been impressing NBA evaluators at this week’s combine and says he’s received plenty of “positive feedback.” According to Pompey, DiVincenzo has had meetings with the Lakers, Magic, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Cavaliers, Spurs, Hawks, and Grizzlies in Chicago.

Here’s more on meetings taking place at the combine:

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Draft Notes: Porter, Bamba, Sexton, Allen

May 17th, 2018 at 8:43pm CST by marksuleymanov

Missouri standout Michael Porter Jr. spoke to reporters at the draft combine in Chicago today and confirmed he has met with the Knicks, Mavericks, Sixers, Suns, Cavaliers, Hawks, Grizzlies, Rockets and Clippers, tweets Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. He will have another set of interviews tomorrow as he is scheduled to meet with the Kings, Hornets, Thunder and Celtics.

Porter, 19, missed most of his freshman campaign after he suffered a serious back injury just two minutes into the season. Porter underwent surgery –a microdiscectomy of the L3-L4 spinal discs — which sidelined him until the SEC tournament later in the season. In total, Porter appeared in three games with the Tigers, averaging 10.0 PPG and 6.7 RPG. However, Porter spoke confidently about his abilities and how he compares to other talents in this year’s draft pool.

“I know without a doubt that I’m the — I played against all these guys, they’re all great players — but I’m the best player in this draft,” Porter said. “And I just can’t wait to show what I’m capable of.”

Check out more notes related to the draft below:

  • We relayed earlier that Texas big man Mohamed Bamba measured in with a staggering 7’10” wingspan at the combine. Bamba would have the longest wingspan of any player coming into the NBA since 2000. Speaking to reporters, including Madeline Kenney of the Chicago-Sun Times, Bamba addressed his strongest attribute.“I’d say my biggest strength right now, just one word to summarize it all, is just my presence,” Bamba said. “Both offensively and defensively, the presence that I have is pretty profound. I don’t think any other prospect has this presence. I do more but require less. That’s both on the court and off the court. I feel I’m the most efficient guy in this draft class.” Bamba confirmed he has met with 13 teams, tweets ESPN’s Nick Friedell.
  • Alabama point guard Collin Sexton is at the draft combine and has already met with five teams, Alabama head coach Avery Johnson said to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. Sexton has yet to interview with the Mavericks but that could happen by Friday. Sexton did meet with the Knicks, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
  • The Timberwolves are set to interview Duke shooting guard Grayson Allen, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
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Mavericks Notes: Lottery, Cuban, Free Agency, Porter

May 16th, 2018 at 10:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

Michael Finley joked that he was tempted to demand a recount when the Mavericks landed the fifth pick at Tuesday’s lottery, relays Dwain Price of Mavs.com. Dallas’ VP of basketball operations decided to remain professional at the event and is optimistic the team can land an impact player. The Mavs came into the lottery with the third best chance to win the top choice and a guarantee to fall no lower than sixth.

“It’s a deep draft with some great young talent, so at the fifth pick I think we’ll still be able to get a player that can come in and help us immediately,” Finley said. “It’s a wide variety of sizes and talent in the draft when you look at some of the point guards, some of the wing guys and the big guys.

“Like I said, it’ll give us a great opportunity to get one of those players, and hopefully that player can help us so we won’t be at this lottery next year.”

There’s more tonight from Dallas:

  • The ping pong balls didn’t bounce the Mavericks’ way, but there’s no guarantee the team will hold onto the No. 5 pick, owner Mark Cuban tells Dalton Trigg of 247Sports.com. “We are never content,” Cuban said. “We will be open to any and all options.”
  • The Mavericks should be careful not to try to make up for the lottery disappointment by becoming overly aggressive in free agency, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. He advises the team to build slowly and not do something risky like offering a max deal to DeMarcus Cousins, who continues to recover from a ruptured Achilles tendon.
  • Dallas will take a long look at Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. with the fifth pick, Sefko states in a separate piece. Porter missed almost the entire college season with back problems, but his physical gifts still make him a promising NBA prospect. Magic executive Pat Williams, whose team owns the sixth pick, said DeAndre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Marvin Bagley III and Jaren Jackson Jr. are expected to be the first four taken, with Porter, Mo Bamba, Wendell Carter and maybe Trae Young going right afterward.
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Central Notes: Hill, Prunty, James, Porter

April 30th, 2018 at 10:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Cavaliers got their first real payout from the George Hill acquisition during Game 7 against the Pacers on Sunday, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. Hill returned from a back injury to score 11 points in 19 minutes but his health remains an issue in the upcoming series against the Raptors, Pluto continues. Hill was a pricey acquisition from the Kings, as Cleveland picked up a contract that will pay the veteran point guard $20MM this season and $19MM next year.

In other news around the Central Division:

  • Interim Joe Prunty will be a candidate to retain the Bucks’ head coaching job but there will be an open, active search to fill that spot, Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. There’s no timeline on the coaching search, but the Bucks will likely make a decision prior to the free agency period in July, Velazquez adds.
  • LeBron James‘ run of seven straight Finals appearances will end abruptly in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Martin Rogers of the USA Today predicts. James’ heroics won’t be enough against the top seeded Raptors, who are better, younger, fresher, and more technically sound than Cleveland, Rogers adds.
  • Landing Michael Porter Jr. in the draft would be a best-case scenario for the Bulls, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times opines. Chicago wants to improve at the wing and Porter would fill that need as long as the medical reports on the Missouri freshman are positive, Cowley continues. The Bulls are not far enough along in their current rebuild to attract a top-level NBA wing player, so the draft is probably the best place to upgrade that area, according to Cowley.
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Draft Updates: Maye, Lewis, Sexton, Green

April 23rd, 2018 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

North Carolina junior forward Luke Maye will enter the draft but won’t hire an agent in order to retain his college eligibility, according to the team’s website. The first-team All-ACC selection averaged 16.9 PPG and 10.1 RPG.

“This is what the system is designed to do, which is provide players with an opportunity to workout with NBA teams and get feedback from those teams,” Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said in a statement.

The 6’8” Maye is not listed among the top 100 prospects by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

In other draft-related news:

  • New Jersey Institute of Technology forward Abdul Lewis will test the draft waters, Jeff Goodman of ESPN tweets. Lewis averaged 12.0 PPG and 8.8 RPG as a junior. The 6’10” Lewis played for South Alabama during his freshman campaign.
  • Alabama point guard Collin Sexton could be next season’s Donovan Mitchell, a late lottery steal, according to Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. Sexton could slide to the 8-13 range in the lottery and has star potential, Brigham continues. Michigan State sophomore swingman Miles Bridges and Missouri freshman big man Jontay Porter, the brother of more heralded Michael Porter Jr., could also fit the category of a major first-round bargain, Brigham adds.
  • Kentucky freshman guard Quade Green will return for his sophomore season, his mother to the Lexington Herald-Leader (Twitter link). The 6’0” Green averaged 9.3 PPG and 2.7 APG in 25.6 MPG as a freshman.
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And-Ones: Simmons, Rose, Hickson, Draft

April 1st, 2018 at 12:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers rookie Ben Simmons used the start of the Final Four to take another swipe at the NCAA, relays Alysha Tsuji of USA Today.

“All this money being made and they get a swag bag at the end of it,” tweeted Simmons, who has clashed before with the NCAA over the lack of compensation for players. He spent one season at LSU before leaving for the NBA.

Simmons was included in a 2016 Showtime documentary called “One and Done” where he made a similar appeal for athletes to be paid. “Everybody’s making money except the players,” he said. “We’re the ones waking up early as hell to be the best teams and do everything they want us to do and then the players get nothing. They say education, but if I’m there for a year, I can’t get much education.”

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

  • Former NBA player Malik Rose has been selected as G League Basketball Executive of the Year, the Hawks announced on their website. Rose serves as GM of the Erie BayHawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate, who put together a 28-22 season and a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference. Rose, who played 13 NBA seasons, is also basketball operations manager for the Hawks.
  • J.J. Hickson has signed to play in Lebanon, according to Nicola Lupo of Sportando. Hickson spent eight seasons in the NBA, with his last experience coming in 2015/16 when he split time with the Nuggets and Wizards. The 29-year-old has been playing in China since then.
  • USC center Chimezie Metu, who declared for the draft this week, will hire CAA sports as his representative, tweets international basketball writer David Pick. Meto is projected to be taken between the 25th and 35th pick. Potential top-five selection  Michael Porter Jr. of Missouri is nearing an agreement with Mark Bartelstein and Priority Sports, according to Pick (Twitter link).
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Draft Updates: Hudson, Alkins, Porter, Palmer

March 27th, 2018 at 9:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

University of Florida shooting guard Jalen Hudson plans to declare for the draft without hiring an agent, Jeff Goodman of ESPN tweets. A Virginia Tech transfer, the 6’6” Hudson averaged 15.5 PPG in his junior year while making 40.4% of his 3-point tries. He’s currently ranked No. 39 on ESPN’s Jonathan Givony’s Top 100 prospects list.

In other news regarding the draft:

  • Arizona guard Rawle Alkins confirmed he’s headed for the draft and intends to hire an agent, which will officially end his college career, he declared on his Twitter feed. Sports Illustrated reported early this month that Alkins intended to declare for the draft. The 6’5” Alkins, who averaged 13.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 2.5 APG in his sophomore year, is ranked No. 59 by Givony.
  • Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr. is close to signing with agent Mark Bartelstein and Priority Sports, league sources told international expert David Pick (Twitter link). Porter, whose lone college season was wrecked by a back injury, declared for the draft on Sunday. The 6’10” Porter is currently rated No. 7 by Givony.
  • The Nebraska duo of guard James Palmer Jr. and forward Isaac Copeland Jr. have declared for the draft without hiring an agent, according to a school press release. The 6’6” Palmer averaged 17.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 3.0 APG as a junior. The 6’9” Copeland averaged 12.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 1.0 BPG in his junior campaign. They are not on Givony’s Top 100 list.
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Michael Porter Jr. Declares For NBA Draft

March 26th, 2018 at 5:39pm CST by marksuleymanov

Missouri freshman power forward Michael Porter Jr. has declared for the 2018 NBA Draft, per an announcement from his Instagram. 

“Man, it’s been a crazy year but I feel so blessed to be in the position I’m at,” Porter said in the video. “I want to thank Mizzou nation, my coaches and my teammates for the incredible support I’ve received ever since I committed to the university. I wish I could have been on the floor with my brothers every single night. But I’m so thankful to have been part of such a special group. A special thank you goes out to my family, y’all have been there for me through it all and I just want to let you know how much you mean to me. With that being said, after talking it over with my coaches and my family, I would like to announce that I’m declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft.”

Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets that Porter will soon hire an agent. Porter is widely expected to be a high lottery selection; some consider him a possible first overall pick, but his back injury could adversely affect his stock.

The 19-year-old entered his freshman year with a lot of hype, but suffered a serious back injury just two minutes into the season. The procedure –a microdiscectomy of the L3-L4 spinal discs — sidelined Porter until the SEC tournament. He played in two games this month, both losses.

In total, Porter appeared in three games with the Tigers, averaging 10.0 PPG and 6.7 RPG.

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