Miami Heat: 3 potential small forward trade targets
By Simon Smith
3. Otto Porter Jr., Washington Wizards
This is a potential deal that wouldn’t be possible until Dec. 15 due to the four-year, $107 million deal Porter Jr. signed this offseason. A 6’9″ small forward with a 7’2″ wingspan, Porter has steadily improved in each of his four seasons win the league.
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Last season, he averaged 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 32.6 minutes per game. Notably, this featured impressive shooting splits of .516/.434/.832. One of Porter’s greatest strengths is his ability to be a threat without having the ball in his hands.
Playing alongside two prominent guards in All-Star point guard John Wall and shooting guard Bradley Beal, Porter had a usage rate of just 14.9 last season, the lowest mark in his career. Such was his prominence off the ball last season that 77.3 percent of his made field goals were assisted by a teammate.
Due to the presence of Wall and Beal, Porter Jr.’s offensive capabilities have not yet been fully utilized. However, he’s shown flashes of his full potential. Last season, he had 10 games in which he attempted 14 or more field goals. Over this span, Porter averaged 21.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting at a 55.8 percent clip from the field and a 46.6 percent clip from 3-point range.
Playing alongside the likes of Wall and Beal provides Porter Jr. with a good induction should he play alongside the Heat starting backcourt of Goran Dragic and Dion Waiters.
In terms of formulating a deal, the Heat would most likely it center around Kelly Olynyk and Justise Winslow as compensation, with Wayne Ellington likely to also be included for salary cap purposes. This provides the Wizards with additional depth, considering their bench last year was among the worst in the league.