Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr. had a tough night on Thursday, posting five points, three rebounds and two assists on 1-of-5 from the field in a 110-104 preseason win over the Blazers.

Included in the battle for the team's starting small forward spot, Porter is probably on the outside looking in. That said, he should be in the rotation and has enough upside that we're not opposed to a deep-league flier despite Denver's big rotation. Juancho Hernangomez chipped in six points, four rebounds and three steals in 16 minutes, and these two figure to be battling for minutes all year long.

Will Barton

SG, Denver Nuggets

Michael Malone has yet to make a decision on his starting small forward and will continue to assess how Will Barton, Torrey Craig, Juancho Hernangómez, and Michael Porter Jr. do in Thursday's game as well as upcoming practices.

The starting small forward position for the Nuggets has to come at some point before their regular season begins Wednesday against the Blazers. Barton had the starting gig last season but was mired with injuries after being a breakout candidate in the 2017-18 season (top-60 finish). but his skill set might better serve the Nuggets in a sixth man role. Porter's emergence this preseason has further complicated his decision. Craig and Hernangómez are also in the mix for that starting role. With so many mouths to feed in Denver, they are only late-round fliers in redraft leagues with Barton being the only one who has proved that he can sustain fantasy value while Porter has the highest upside.

Source: Chris Dempsey on Twitter

Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr. scored 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting with five rebounds, a steal, two blocks and a 3-pointer against the Suns on Monday.

Porter Jr. looks great out there and right now the only real fear is whether or not he can stay healthy. Nuggets fans have waited a while, but Porter has looked fluid and athletic during the preseason as a forward that can do a little bit of everything. He's definitely someone you'll want to watch closely.

Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr. scored 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting with four rebounds and a steal on Thursday.

Porter Jr. missed his only 3-point attempt this game and it's exciting to see him playing against NBA level competition, but there are still too many things pushing against him being a productive fantasy player in standard leagues for now.

Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr. made his long-awaited debut for the Nuggets on Tuesday, playing 17 minutes (all in the second half) and going for nine points (4-for-7 FGs, 1-for-2 FTs) and three rebounds.

It was a good step for Porter as he knocked down some jumpers and had a dunk. He's got a long way to go before he's contributing regularly, but he's certainly not lacking for confidence. He's a player to watch for sure as the season rolls on and the Nuggets potentially tinker with their roster.

Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr. is expected to make his preseason debut on Tuesday vs. the Blazers.

Porter missed all of last year recovering from injury but has been generating buzz with a good camp. A former five-star recruit, Porter has tantalizing upside but comes with an uncertain role and a significant injury risk. He's worth keeping an eye on.

Source: Denver Post

Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets have picked up the 2020-21 team option on Michael Porter Jr.

The Nuggets chose Porter with the 14th pick in the 2018 Draft despite his injury issues. He is something of a wild card, but this move seems to be a vote of confidence in his potential production going forward.

Source: Sam Amick on Twitter

Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

On Monday, Mike Malone named Michael Porter Jr. as one of the four candidates that will compete to start at small forward for the Nuggets, along with Will Barton, Torrey Craig and Juancho Hernangomez.

The open competition is worth keeping an eye on, as some of these options could become fantasy steals given the boost in minutes that this would likely provide. Barton may be best suited to come off the bench even though he started 38 games last season. Craig saw 37 starts and could easily be selected for his defense. Hernangomez started 25 games, but he's probably the least likely to win the job. The wildcard that the fantasy community is cheering for is Porter Jr., though, as he has plenty of untapped upside. He could provide anything from a third-consecutive lost season to a Blake Griffin-like redshirt rookie campaign.

Source: Duvalier Johnson

Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr. (left knee sprain) says he doesn't think he'll play in Summer League but that his knee injury is not serious, he's working out without restrictions and he could play today.

That's great to hear from Porter. It's anybody's guess what he'll actually provide when he gets on the court next season, but it's sounding like everything is still on track at this point. It woud've been fun to see him play some Summer League minutes, but we'll just have to wait a few more months. Porter is a late-round flier at this point since he's on such a talented team.

Source: Harrison Wind on Twitter

Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr. (left knee sprain) is unlikely to play in the Las Vegas Summer League after injuring himself during a scrimmage on Wednesday night.

Brutal news. Porter missed all but two minutes of basketball games the past two years because of a back injury he suffered in his first game at Mizzou. Reports out of camp said Porter was looking spry and would even play some SG. We'll have to wait for the preseason to see the once five-star recruit step on the court in a game setting.

Source: The Denver Post

Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr. will have no Summer League injury restrictions.

Porter missed all of his first season and the majority of his lone college year, so plenty of fans and fantasy enthusiasts have been awaiting the healthy return of the once highly-prized recruit. Reports have him looking good in workouts and that he'll be playing small forward and possibly even shooting guard this coming season. On such a talented and deep team, it could be hard for Porter to get enough minutes in his rookie season to count on in fantasy. But while the Sixers weren't at the same level at the time as the current Nuggets, people didn't necessarily expect much from Ben Simmons in his redshirt rookie season either. Porter will be a popular late-round flier this fall, and rightfully so.

Source: Harrison Wind on Twitter

Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr., who is expected to play on the wing for the Nuggets Summer League team, said that he hasn't felt this good since his sophmore year of high school.

Porter was a 5-star recruit after being the National Player of the Year as a high school senior and McDonald's All-American game MVP. A severe back injury and subsequent surgeries caused Porter Jr. to drop in the 2018 NBA Draft and essentially be on the shelf for the past two years. Porter still has immense talent, and if he can prove his health, he makes for an exciting late-round flier. It's anyone's guess as to what Porter can bring to the table next season, but his upside is enticing.

Source: Chris Dempsey on Twitter

Michael Porter Jr.

PF, Denver Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr., who missed his entire rookie season after undergoing multiple back procedures, will suit up in Summer League.

Porter was viewed as a top-5 talent but slipped to Denver at No. 14 because of concerns about his back. Nuggets POBO Tim Connelly says that Porter has been fully cleared for "several months" and looks like the player that the team saw prior to his injury woes. MPJ will slot into a crowded Nuggets rotation and is unlikely to hold much value in redraft formats, but dynasty owners should be happy to hear this news. It'll be great to finally see Porter take the court in Vegas.

Source: Denver Post

Michael Porter Jr.

F, Denver Nuggets

As a symptom from his back surgeries, Michael Porter Jr. developed drop foot, and will wear to a leg brace to help stabilize it when he makes his professional debut in Summer League according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post.

Drop foot makes it hard for one to lift the front part of their foot and is a common symptom of back related ailments, of which Porter Jr. has had two surgeries to address over the last year and a half. Porter Jr. remains an unknown commodity with a laundry list of health concerns as an NBA player. There has been some recent success with young guys being able to bounce back in big ways after suffering year-long injuries, but Porter Jr. will remain a mystery until we see him on the court for his inaugural season.

Source: The Denver Post

Michael Porter Jr.

F, Denver Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr. (back) has been fully cleared for contact and expects to participate in the Nuggets' Summer League.

The back injury is what caused Porter Jr. to drop so far during the draft, but after sitting out his rookie season Porter's back seems to have fully healed. This is the time to buy in Dynasty Leagues. Like Ben Simmons, Porter Jr. will be eligible to compete for rookie of the year next season.

Source: Harrison Wind on twitter