Washington Wizards: 5 goals for Otto Porter Jr. in 2017-18
By Randy Porga
3. Remaining a solid two-way forward
The Washington Wizards have offensive firepower and play physical basketball, but they also have a magnificent future star in Otto Porter’s two-way ability. We already covered how Porter is a force beyond the arc, but he also is a well-rounded defender.
Last season Porter set personal bests for defensive rebounds, steals and blocks per game with 6.5, 1.5 and 0.5 per game, respectively. John Wall and Bradley Beal stand out as the faces of the franchise, but Porter works hard in the trenches and on defense. During the 2016-17 season, at times it became noticeable who was the glue holding the team together defensively.
Understanding how great Porter can become over the next few years can be observed by the steady statistical improvement from his rookie year up to the present. In regards to defense, he started his career with a -1.4 Defensive Box Plus/Minus and turned it around to average 0.9 and 1.0 DBPM the past two seasons.
The Washington Wizards’ defense was their single biggest downfall as a whole last season. Porter should look to continue to set the example as a productive player on offense as well as defense.