Harrison Wind: Spoke with Michael Porter Jr. who says his knee injury isn’t anything serious and he could play today. However, Denver is remaining cautious. He’s working out with the team in Las Vegas and says he doesn’t have any restrictions but doesn’t think he’ll play here.
Storyline: Michael Porter Injury
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Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. told CBS4 he still hopes to play in the NBA’s Summer League in Las Vegas despite a knee injury he suffered Wednesday in practice. “It really wasn’t that big of a deal,” said Porter Jr. when asked about the injury. “Just landed a little bit funny. Nothing crazy, but I got up with a little bit of a limp. They just decided to give me a few days to rest. But I told them I’m still going to try and get out there at some point during summer league.”
“This is what I was looking forward to for the past year, you know what I mean,” added Porter Jr. “I’m still trying to get out there and I think I will be able to a little later in the summer league, but I feel good. My knee is not a problem right now.”
“You feel bad, because the kid has been putting in a lot of work, and he was excited to play,” Nuggets assistant coach Jordi Fernandez said. “But obviously the most important thing for him is to be ready for the NBA season. Again, it’s nothing major.” Before Porter’s latest setback, Fernandez was impressed by his play. “I’ve been fortunate to be around really good players, and what I see from him is special,” Fernandez said. You see things and you don’t want to say, ‘Whoa’ too loud, but, yeah, you see it. He’s pretty special.”
Still, the Nuggets do not plan to rush Porter back into action. “While we are all very excited about the potential impact that he can have, we also don’t want to put too much pressure on him,” said Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly. “He’s really hard on himself because he holds himself to such a high standard. Convincing him that this is going to be a process has been challenging. Which speaks to his competitiveness and love for the game. He wants it so bad.”
Nick Kosmider: Have confirmed @Michael Singer’s report that Michael Porter Jr. suffered a knee sprain in last night’s scrimmage. Team does not believe it to be anything serious and it is not related to his surgically repaired back, but Nuggets have no desire to risk anything in Las Vegas.
Chris Dempsey: And then there’s this: Porter Jr. said health wise he hasn’t felt this good, “since sophomore year of high school.” Which is crazy to think about b/c he was the National Player of the Year as a senior & McDonald’s All-American game MVP. #Nuggets
Harrison Wind: Tim Connelly on Michael Porter Jr., who’s SL debut is around the corner: “He’s been in the gym twice a day for a long time. He’s been fully cleared for several months. Him and Jarred (Vanderbilt) have pushed each other…He resembles the player we saw prior to all the injuries.”
Michael Porter Jr. is ready and prepared to take part in Summer League in July, where he will look to showcase his talents and NBA readiness. “Yea I can’t wait to get back out there. Nothing will compare to being out there for the first time in a real game. This team has a lot of weapons already, but I think I can be a versatile guy that does a lot of different things on the court and be a shot maker.”
He added: “I feel so good. I’ve worked so hard every day with these guys and I feel like I’m a better player than I’ve ever been. “I just want to show that I’m back, feeling good, and ready to play.”
“He (Porter Jr.) is special for sure,” Nuggets guard Monte Morris added. “He can handle it, shoot it and he’s 6’11”. He’s a freak athlete. The best thing about Michael is that he feels he’s the best player on the court at all times, no matter who is out there. He carries that swagger about himself, so I feel it will be easy for him to adjust when he steps into the rotation because with that swagger, you will go out there and play confident.”
Grant Liffmann: Michael Porter Jr looks ready to me
Harrison Wind: Michael Malone today on Isaiah Thomas and Michael Porter Jr who are both without timelines to return. On Thomas: “…I don’t think any of us envisioned it going (this far into the season)…” Porter has gone through non-contact parts of practice. “The guy has a pure jump shot.” pic.twitter.com/Ws3ywQZBBk
There’s still a chance Denver lottery pick Michael Porter Jr. will play his first game late in the season, sources indicated. The Knicks passed on Porter at No. 9 because, sources said, they were told he wouldn’t play this season. Kevin Knox, meanwhile, is in the running for Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December after averaging 17 points and 16 rebounds. Word is Porter Jr. is looking solid during private workouts.
Those who have seen Michael Porter Jr. work out in Denver as he recovers from back surgery report he’s looking impressive. Even the team is surprised how well he has been shooting the 3-pointer as he works with coach Mark Price.
Former top college basketball recruit Michael Porter Jr. released a video Wednesday on The Players’ Tribune in which he discussed his time at Missouri and his journey to the NBA.
Harrison Wind: Gary Harris (left hamstring strain) is questionable for tomorrow’s preseason opener vs Lakers. Isaiah Thomas (right hip surgery), Michael Porter Jr (low back surgery), Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot surgery) are all out.
Duvalier Johnson: Connelly on Porter Jr: “Michael’s rehab is going really well but no time frame. He’s had two surgeries and no need to rush him back, we’re not so concerned about the short term.”
Harrison Wind: Nuggets GM Arturas Karnisovas on Michael Porter Jr: “There’s no timeline.”…”He’s moving in the right direction.” via @AltitudeSR
Jordan Schultz: On Aug 2, source close to Michael Porter, Jr. told me “he’s doing great.” Despite Porter’s confirmation, his camp not ready to decide on possible redshirt. Focus is simply “getting better every day.” Porter has endured 2 back surgeries. Hope is he’s ready 4 reg season. #Nuggets
Denver Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. said he’s pain-free after a second surgery on his back, and the 14th overall pick in the 2018 draft is hoping to be on the court near the start of the 2018-19 season. Porter told ESPN on Sunday at the NBA’s annual rookie photo shoot that, “I finally feel, like, good,” and he is hoping to be ready for game action around the time the season tips in mid-October.
“I don’t have a date but I’m hoping to be back for the beginning of the year. Gotta heal up, but I feel great,” said Porter. “I’m able to get on the court a little bit right now, do something different things. But my rehab has definitely been very conservative. They’re really taking it easy with me, being patient with me.”
Porter elected to have the second surgery last month with hopes of alleviating all issues with his back before the start of his rookie season. “[Doctors originally] only thought one of [the bulging disks] was symptomatic,” said Porter. “They went in and fixed that one. Turns out that both were symptomatic. So my first surgery helped a lot but didn’t fix the entire problem. Now that they did this one, I’ve got no pain or anything. I’m excited.”
Former Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr. has undergone his second back surgery in eight months, according to the Denver Nuggets, the team that drafted him No. 14 overall in June’s NBA Draft. But his father told The Star on Thursday that there was still a chance the 6-foot-10 scorer could be ready by the start of the NBA season.
“Mike’s feeling great,” MU assistant coach Michael Porter Sr. told The Star on Thursday. “The doctors got more insight into what was going on. Just cleaned up a bit of a herniation that was pressing on a nerve. … The initial prognosis, it sounded like he could be ready at the start of the season. It’s a good deal all the way around.”
Lumbar spine surgery involves the lower back and is usually done to relieve nerve root pinching. Porter’s previous surgery involved the L3 and L4 vertebrates, and was to relive pressure on the spinal nerve column.
Shams Charania: Denver Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. underwent surgery of the lumbar spine. No timetable for his return to basketball participation.
Harrison Wind: Michael Porter Jr. has undergone surgery of the lumbar spine at The Carrell Clinic in Dallas, TX. The Procedure was performed by Dr. Andrew Dossett. There is no timetable for his return to basketball participation, Nuggets say.
Harrison Wind: Can confirm @AschNBA’s report that Michael Porter Jr. had another procedure on his back but those close to the situation are encouraged/excited by his prognosis. I’m told this was a scenario that was on the table when the Nuggets selected him 14th overall.
Nick Kosmider: Tim Connelly, being interviewed on ESPNU, on the Michael Porter Jr. timetable: “The only thing we’re certain of at this point is that we won’t get him out there until he’s 100 percent.”
No Michael Porter this season?
Since then, the organization has been in lockstep with one another on that message. “We understood the risk-reward situation with Michael Porter, and we felt at 14 he was far too great of a talent to pass up,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said during an in-game interview on NBATV during Denver’s Summer League win over the Celtics Saturday night. “And we’re going to to be patient. We’re not going to rush him back and that’s the luxury we have. “We have a very good team coming back, we have a very deep team so there’s no reason for us to say ‘Michael’s got to play this year.’ We’re going to give him all the time and treatment he needs to get better and hopefully he can get back and help us this year.”
Harrison Wind: Michael Porter Jr in the latest Puma’s.
Gina Mizell: MPJ, still shooting in socks at #Nuggets summer league practice. Once again, he won’t play in Vegas but has been here throughout the week.
Harrison Wind: As expected, draft picks Michael Porter Jr and Jarred Vanderbilt will not play at Summer League for the Nuggets. Here’s the team’s full roster including 2017 draft-and-stash Vlatko Cancar, who’s playing for Slovenia in 2019 World Cup qualifiers right now.
Will he play next season? If so, when? Will he ever truly be healthy? Nuggets president Josh Kroenke told The Undefeated he was uncertain about whether Porter Jr. would play in summer league or during the 2018-19 season. Before his post-draft news conference, Porter Jr. walked around with a slight limp as he took a congratulatory phone call from Kroenke and head coach Michael Malone. Kroenke, an ex-Missouri guard, was ecstatic to land Porter Jr. “Michael is an incredible talent and we were surprised to see him available at No. 14,” Kroenke told The Undefeated via text message. “We know the risks associated with him due to his recent back injury at Missouri, but he’s an incredibly hard worker, is an outstanding young man and we think he will fit in well with our up-and-coming group in Denver.”
Harrison Wind: Michael Porter Jr says teams at the top of the draft were telling him he was “their guy” until his hip flared up last week. Then, he started hearing he was going to drop. “Once one team gets scared, they all get scared,” he said.
Duvalier Johnson: Tim Connelly said “if we can get Michael Porter Jr. healthy we’re going to be getting a special, special player.” #Nuggets
Duvalier Johnson: Micheal Porter Jr. said he truly feels as if he will play to start the season. But said the decision is on the team. Will meet with the team tomorrow.
Harrison Wind: Nuggets Assistant GM Calvin Booth on Michael Porter Jr’s health: “I think Michael is feeling good. Obviously, his back has to be monitored but once we get him here and have our training staff, we’ll assess and come up with a plan of action and follow through with that plan.”
Adrian Wojnarowski: Michael Porter’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, is delivering more detailed and recent medical info to lottery teams on Porter’s back, believes he’s given execs more reason to feel comfortable in long-term prognosis. Tecent medical report circulated among teams caused major concern.
Jeff Goodman: Some teams have been told by their medical personnel to stay away from Michael Porter Jr., but there are numerous teams in the lottery who have been informed by their doctors that there isn’t nearly as much of a risk in selecting him. Varying degree of concern from doctors.
Kyle Neubeck: Since this now appears to be relevant: The Sixers were one of the teams in Chicago for Michael Porter Jr.’s pro day and received access to his medical information, I’m told.
Rick Bonnell: It will be fascinating if Michael Porter is there when the @Charlotte Hornets pick at No. 11. I asked Kupchak Tuesday if he had all the medical info to make a call if Porter is there. Kupchak said he does. What would that decision be?
Porter and Young appeared to be sure-fire Top 5 selections just days ago. But now there are grave concerns about Porter’s problematic back and Young’s willowy frame, concerns that could possibly drop them out of the top 10.
Adam Himmelsbach: Michael Porter Jr. on injury concerns surrounding him: “I think a few teams are probably still concerned, and I understand that. But they all have my medical records, my MRIs, and I feel like for the most part, most of them feel comfortable.”
Porter was able to work out for teams on Friday after a hip injury scare, but the workout did not completely allay fears about Porter’s injury history. He had back surgery in November, and there is ample concern, according to front office sources, that Porter will be an injury question mark throughout his NBA career, at least in his early years.
Sam Amick: The Kings aren’t the only top five team wrestling with the Michael Porter Jr. question: I’m told the Grizzlies are still seriously considering him at No. 4 – health concerns and all – after today’s medical display for lottery teams. Like Sacto, trading down is a possibility too.
Sean Cunningham: The evaluation in Chicago with Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. was characterized as having gone well for the draft prospect. A specialist led teams, including the Kings through an evaluation of Porter’s medical report. Haven’t ruled out visiting teams prior to Draft, sources say.
Multiple NBA teams are, as one source put it, “comfortable with the risks” involving drafting Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr. despite his injury history, which this week caused the on-again postponement of a workout today in Chicago. And yes, the Dallas Mavericks, I’m told, are among those “comfortable-with-the-risks” teams.
James Ham: Confirming news from this morning – the Sacramento Kings are one of the teams in Chicago meeting with Michael Porter Jr. again today.
Eddie Sefko: Mavericks are sending a crew to Chicago for Michael Porter Jr.’s second workout. Medical staffs from teams in the lottery are converging for the look-see this afternoon. With Porter’s back, trusting the docs and athletic trainers is critical. He’s a wild card.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Access for NBA lottery teams and doctors to evaluate Michael Porter’s surgically repaired back is “trending” toward happening in Chicago on Friday, his agent Mark Bartelstein told teams in an email a short time ago. Teams are preparing to travel, and will get final word tonight.
Shams Charania: Teams have been informed that Michael Porter Jr. is feeling better and MRI returned clean, with “positive review,” league sources told Yahoo. Workout assessment could be rescheduled on Friday, sources said, but decision likely comes later today. twitter.com/ShamsCharania/…
Porter is expected to be re-evaluated by his doctor again Thursday night, league sources said. Porter’s training has been ramped up over the past three weeks, causing the spasms in his hip. He appeared returned to his normal status on Thursday.
A quick note on Michael Porter Jr. In the KMOX interview, Porter Sr. said his oldest son has not yet released his medical information to NBA teams but underwent a physical by the Chicago Bulls medical team last Thursday. He’ll host a pro day this Friday in Chicago that’s open to any team that’s interested in watching him work out. The following week the teams drafting in the top 10 will have another day to see him up close and inspect his surgically repaired back. The Porters will share the Bulls’ medical report with every other NBA team, Porter Sr. said. The Bulls have the seventh overall pick.
Mike McGraw: Porter Jr.: “They had me the No. 1 player in high school, but I didn’t even feel like I was 100 percent, and I do now. So I’m just excited to show everybody the player I am and that I’m still the best player.”
Mike McGraw: Porter Jr. on back: “I feel better than ever, actually. That injury happened a couple years ago and it had just gotten worse. So I feel pain free and I feel better than I’ve felt in a long time.” #NBACombine
The camp who felt Porter helped himself brought up an interesting perspective. One veteran executive pointed out that the grit to play hurt means more than his milquetoast performances. Being willing to play when you aren’t 100 percent is a big part of NBA life, the executive reasoned. Another scout added that simply playing in the games will be important for a general manager in convincing an owner to take a player that they’ve likely tanked their season to draft. “Obviously the medical records will be key, but the fact that he simply showed he can play, and it’s unlikely that he has a debilitating back injury is very important,” the scout said.
Jeff Goodman: Source confirmed that Missouri freshman Michael Porter Jr., has been cleared for full contact. Source also told ESPN: “Not sure if he will play this season.”
Jon Rothstein: Missouri freshman Michael Porter Jr. has been fully cleared for all basketball activities, per a source.
Missouri freshman Michael Porter Jr., a projected NBA draft lottery pick who has played just two minutes this season because of November back surgery, remains hopeful of playing again in 2017-18 for the Tigers. “There’s a good chance,” Porter told reporters Friday afternoon. “I think doctors are going to be amazed at my progress. “I’m feeling better every day. I’m hoping the doctor feels the same way.”
Six-foot-10 Michael Porter Jr was considered by many NBA executives as a candidate to be the No. 1 pick in June’s draft thanks to his combination of size, length and skill. However, many NBA executives told ESPN they are concerned about a lingering back injury, which necessitated surgery in November. “It depends on the medical reports,” one general manager told ESPN. Porter said he doesn’t have any concerns about coming back and risking further injury, but multiple NBA executives have told ESPN it’s not something they would advise because he is still likely a top-10 draft pick even if he doesn’t play another college game.
Adam Zagoria: I’m told by a source close to the situation that reports that Michael Porter Jr. could return in 4 weeks for Mizzou are inaccurate. No timetable on a return, but he is going through the rehab process. pic.twitter.com/R8vh43hZWr
I asked a dozen personnel people how concerned they were with Porter, Jr.’s surgery and if it will impact where he’s picked. The responses were mixed. “If it’s a standard microdiscectomy, it shouldn’t be much of an issue (lots of those procedures on NBA players),” one general manager said Sunday via text. “If it’s more than that, the result could be of greater impact. If he can do a few draft workouts, he should be just fine. It may play out like the (Joel) Embiid draft where Joel was affected by a couple picks (because of the foot), but not much beyond that.”
But another executive had a different view. “No doubt it hurts him,” the exec said. “Obviously the medical evaluation will be more important and often times as we know, the agents with players at this level withhold information from most of the teams so it will be an interesting decision as to how they handle. Backs are like knees and serious foot/ankle injuries. Tough ones.”
Gary Washburn: Kyrie Irving offers his take on the Michael Porter situation and some advice: “It’s tough for any young kid to go through that, especially if they haven’t been through any real injury in his life…. I’m pretty sure NBA scouts have enough on him–or have seen enough of him–to know whether he’s gonna be in the top 3 or 2 [of the draft]…. He’s a 3/4-man who’s able to handle, crazy athletic and can shoot from the outside. He’s a talent.”
August 18, 2019 | 9:06 pm EDT Update
Entering his fifth season, Richardson was involved in a five-game playoff series loss two years ago against the Sixers. There have been many other, heated games with the two teams. His biggest perception of Philadelphia as an opposing player? “The fans, man,” Josh Richardson said during Saturday’s annual Sixers Summer Shore Tour at the PigDog Beach Bar BQ in Wildwood. “The first thing you think about is how hard the fans are to opposing players. It is tough playing against that and I am excited to play on the same side of those fans.”
In looking at his new team, Richardson noted something he thought he would never see, that he will be the smallest player in the starting lineup. The rest of the projected lineup is 6-10 point guard Ben Simmons, 6-9 small forward Tobias Harris, 6-10 power forward Al Horford and 7-2 center Joel Embiid. “I have never been that ever in my life,” Richardson said about being the smallest. “This will be interesting, looking up to my teammates, talking in huddles.”
Not surprisingly, his summer has been spent working overtime on all aspects of his game. “I’ve been grinding,” he said. Smith says he has benefited from extra summer work in the weight room. The Sixers list him at 199 pounds. He said he was about 205 the last time he was weighed before the summer and now says he is 212 pounds. He hopes to become a solid rotation player. “That is the goal,” he said. “Get in the rotation and play hard and do what I do and have fun.”
August 18, 2019 | 7:41 pm EDT Update
Shams Charania: The Grizzlies are granting the Los Angeles Lakers permission to speak with Dwight Howard, league sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
Ramona Shelburne: As @VeniceMase and I discussed the other day on @ESPNLosAngeles … Dwight Howard may have left town on bad terms with some in LA. But he always had a good relationship with Jeanie Buss. Remember, Jeanie and Phil tweeting at him during the recruiting process.
