Rookie Watch: The Michael Porter Jr. Edition

USA Today

Could this article have been written over a week ago? Yes. But I waited for Michael Porter to play a few more games before providing an update on his real rookie season. What did this patience reveal?

Once projected as a top three draft pick, MPJ found his stock trending south by the time June 2018 rolled around. Why? At Missouri, Porter hid any insight that suggested he had a solid hoops IQ while simultaneously displaying troubling injury concerns and questions about his locker room chemistry.

Fast forward to the 2019-2020 season and Porter is starting to show signs of life. Some pundits have jumped all over his recent production. Basketball media giants Zach Lowe and Bill Simmons gushed over MPJ during a recent podcast. So, where does this basketball media giant (you can laugh at that) stand on Porter's development?

Cautiously optimistic. Very cautiously optimistic.

This season, MPJ has been exceptionally efficient given his limited minutes and role. For instance, over his last 15 games he is hitting 60 percent of his field goals while draining 37.9 percent of his triples. You cannot ask for much more from a forward playing less than 13 minutes per game during that stretch.

How is Porter converting at this rate? It seems as though he has completely bought into his job. This is surprising. MPJ's pre-draft interviews hinted that his ego could be as big as his 9-foot standing reach. Yet, Porter is making cuts with veteran timing, crashing for offensive boards and slipping into tiny cracks between defenders.

In the next clip, Porter comes off of a screen before darting to the rim. It may not seem like much, but his timing aligns perfectly with the setting of the pick. A tick too early or late and this play does not happen. These shots also happen to be pretty efficient when you are 6-foot-10.

When he is not cutting through the halfcourt, Porter has been hanging around the corners. In the video below, watch for MPJ's ability to shoot over a well contested shot. You cannot teach height, folks.

In summation, Porter is offensively contributing for a competitive professional team. Does he create much for himself or others? No. Yet, he is often making positive basketball plays while on the court and doing so within the rhythm of the game.

So, what gives me pause on the rookie? I am not at all sold on his ability to do much more than hit open jumpers, snag offensive boards and make backdoor cuts. Those are all important traits, sure. But Porter's shot often looks suspect and often leaves one cringing while watching it.

Let's breakdown the much tweeted and lauded sidestep 3-point jumper versus the Indiana Pacers. Porter confusingly posts up over fifteen feet from the basket only to pivot out of it, hit a quick crossover and then sidestep for a successful triple.

Now, it is hard to argue with results. I have to argue this one, though. Does this shot look remotely smooth? Every time I watch it I grow uncomfortable. The sidestep is jerky and his legs seem to go as vertical as they do horizontal. He is visibly off-balance when attempting the shot. The staggering follow through not only reminds of a putter willing the ball into the cup, but is a sign that MPJ's body has to recover from being tilted.

On the season, Porter is shooting 66.7 percent on pull-up 3-pointers. Yet, he has taken 0.3 per game. The sample size is suspect, to say the least. On the 1.3 catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts he takes per game, Porter is converting at only 28.6 percent. Keep an eye on how his numbers from beyond the arc pan out as the season progresses. There could be some fools gold potential.

Additionally, Porter has nine more turnovers than assists this year. In fact, he has a mere 13 total assists on the season! In all fairness, that number is not of much concern. If MPJ's role is to shoot off of the catch and slash to the hoop, then dishing out simply may not be is job. The turnovers are a concern, however.

Porter's occasionally flashes some crossovers and stepbacks, but his handle leaves a lot to be desired. Watch the clip below. That ball is just begging to be stolen, which is why multiple Pacers tried to do so.

In this next example, MPJ dribbles the ball off of his hip despite not doing anything particularly difficult.

I cannot be the only one who sees the awkwardness when Porter plays. He looks like a newborn deer trying to walk for the first time. There a moments, though, when he resembles a powerful buck dunking over defenders.

When I scouted Porter, I thought that his IQ was embarrassingly low. I may be wrong. It could be his lack of handling that plagues him most and causes his turnovers. In other words, Porter may lack an ability to scan the floor when he dribbles.

An odd amount of his turnovers have come on the fastbreak this year. In this piece of film, you can watch MPJ doing nothing but look straight ahead at the man he will eventually commit a charge against.

Keep an eye on Porter's head here. It only looks up during the exact moment he decides to pass. It is why he did not notice the defender in prime position to intercept his pass. This type of turnover is troubling and suggests MPJ will need years of work to grow comfortable distributing the ball or scoring in traffic.

If my opinion on Porter sounds low compared to my contemporaries, so be it. A professional basketball player at Porter's position should be able to both dribble and see the court at the same time. His shooting numbers are impressive but the sample size is far too low for us to come to any conclusions. Let's revisit his development at seasons end.